Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla shed more light on the tragic Ateneo “team-building” incident in Dipaculao, Aurora, on June 8 that claimed the lives of 18-year-old Rene Baterbonia and 21-year-old Divine Adili.
During a guest appearance on Bilyonaryo News Channel’s *On-Point*, Remulla revealed that the findings of the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group indicate that Baterbonia attempted to rescue Adili, ultimately leading to both of their deaths.
“Si Baterbonia knew how to swim. Pero ang theory namin, he tried to save Divine. Kaya ang dami niyang bruises sa katawan,” said Remulla, explaining that the bruises were consistent with Baterbonia struggling against the strong rip currents.
“Si Baterbonia, in his last act of heroism, tried to save Divine. Kaya puro pasa yung katawan niya.”
Adili was one of five Blue Eagles who admitted they did not know how to swim.
The other four were Kieffer Alas, Jay-M Leal, Ian Espinosa, and Sultan Baruwa.
“Si Jay-M Leal was very smart. Tuwing dadalhin siya sa ilalim, tatalon siya until he reached shore. He didn’t fight with the waves. Si Ian Espinosa, binatuhan nila ng volleyball para may hawakan. Hindi talaga marunong. Si Kieffer Alas, nahila siya kaagad. Si Sultan, nung lumalakas ang waves, went to the shore immediately,” Remulla shared.
Despite knowing that the five players could not swim, Remulla said coach Tab Baldwin still instructed them on how to respond to rip currents, even though the activity was held during high tide.
“It was high tide in Dipaculao, where the waves are strongest. And there are warnings posted all over the area. When you walk the streets, you’re warned not to swim without a lifeguard because of the strong rip current,” Remulla said.
“And he also said, ‘You don’t know how to swim? Okay, you don’t know how to swim, but come with me. If there is a rip current, this is what you do.’”
That is why in this case, all the 20 players present at Hermanos Leisure Farm & Resort are victims as well.
“There was no paddling. There was no paddling,” emphasized Remulla.
“Nakaawa nga ako sa mga players ng Ateneo. May mga death threats sila galing sa, siyempre, yung mga supporters ni Baterbonia na ginulpi daw ng mga players. But there was no paddling. There were no physical initiations.”
According to Remulla, these circumstances led the PNP-CIDG to classify the incident as a possible violation of the Anti-Hazing Law.
He explained that investigators concluded the Ateneo staff subjected the players to “exposure to the weather” as part of an initiation process into the Blue Eagles, an element that falls under the provisions of the amended Anti-Hazing Act of 2018.
“Number one, under the amended 2018 law, not the previous one, any applicant—again, exposure to the weather, extreme mental and physical anguish. So all the elements in all the sections correspond to hazing. And maybe that quote about the philosophical tenets of why he had to have a camp,” said Remulla.
“His objective was to break down the players.”
