Conflicting testimonies from Ateneo de Manila University basketball alumni and their former head coach, Tab Baldwin, were made public for the first time during a press conference on Friday morning, as officials from the Department of the Interior and Local Government and the Philippine National Police presented the findings of their two-week investigation into the tragic incident that claimed the lives of Rene Baterbonia and Divine Adili.
Among the testimonies presented by investigators were statements from Aaron Black and GBoy Babilonia, members of Baldwin’s UAAP Season 79 squad that reached the Finals. The two had detailed how tragedy had nearly struck the Blue Eagles during the first iteration of the team’s Aurora boot camp in 2016.
“During my time, in 2016, I participated in the first training camp,” read Black’s statement. “My teammates, GBoy Babilonia and Chibueze Ikeh, nearly drowned in the seawater due to panic because GBoy was unable to swim.
“I personally experienced an untoward incident to the point that I almost drowned and gave up. But Coach Yuri Escueta held my hand and helped me with a floating device.”
Babilonia, meanwhile, gave a more personal account of how he nearly lost his life during the activity, saying he survived only because of Baldwin’s intervention.
“Noong tumatakbo kami, na-misstep po ako kasi may biglang lalim po doon sa ating natapakan at doon ay na-outbalance ako,” said the 6-foot-6 former center.
“At nung sinubukan kong lumutang ay di ako makalapit sa seashore kasi parang hinihila ako ng dagat… at ako ng malaman ko nang di ko kaya at lumalayo na sa dagat ng around 100 meters na ang layo ko sa seashore dahil siguro sa hila ng rip current ng dagat ay sumigaw na ako ng tulong… at iyong mga dumating si Coach Tab dala ang kanyang surf board para sagipin ako.”
The testimonies of Black and Babilonia directly contradict Baldwin’s previous response regarding whether any near-drowning incidents had occurred during Ateneo’s earlier visits to Aurora.
Their accounts also align with comments previously shared by former Blue Eagles Shaun Ildefonso, Gian Mamuyac, Tyler Tio, Anton Asistio, and Mike Nieto in various podcast appearances, where they hinted at the dangers of the activity and recalled that Babilonia had nearly lost his life.
“Again, we fielded that question before. There was no incident that even created the idea of drowning,” read a quote attributed to Baldwin that was flashed on screen during the press conference.
Following the investigation, the DILG and PNP recommended that Baldwin, along with his assistant coaches, student managers, and utility personnel, face charges for allegedly violating the Anti-Hazing Law, subject to the Department of Justice’s evaluation.
Investigators also discussed the alleged purpose of the fatal Aurora activity, saying the evidence suggested it served as a physical and mental screening process to determine which student-athletes were worthy of representing Ateneo in the UAAP.
“The supposed teambuilding conducted in Aurora was precisely made to determine which members of the team will make it to the final list submitted by Coach Tab Baldwin to the UAAP Board,” said DILG Assistant Secretary Bryan Tomas.
“This is signified by the fact that 20 members or 20 athletes were present during the activity, but only 17 would eventually be in that final list submitted to the UAAP, meaning there would be three members eliminated.
“It appears from the evidence gathered by the CIDG that this activity was made to screen as a requirement for entrance to that list.”
