Who was Rene 'Bobet' Baterbonia, Ateneo Blue Eagles' rookie who passed away by drowning?
On June 8, Rene Clert "Bobet" Baterbonia, 19, and Divine Adili, 21, passed away in a drowning incident while on a team-building trip with the Ateneo Blue Eagles men's basketball team at a resort in Dipaculao, Aurora.
Adili, a foreign student-athlete from Nigeria, was known as the big man on the court who helped the Blue Eagles cement a 4–0 run in season 88 of the UAAP before the team fell short with a 6–8 finish.
Baterbonia had just graduated from senior high school at Ateneo de Davao University weeks ago. He then flew to Manila to enroll at Ateneo de Manila University and join the Blue Eagles men's basketball team.
Take a look at who Baterbonia was in the eyes of his family, his many fans, and the institutions that shaped his too-short basketball career.
MVP
At 6-foot-4, Baterbonia was a superstar on the basketball court in Davao Region even before he joined the Ateneo Blue Eagles.
In 2025, he earned for Davao its first-ever Palarong Pambansa basketball title. He shone in the finals, scoring 19 points, picking up a Most Valuable Player distinction, and was named among the tournament's Mythical Five.
Later that year, Baterbonia helped the Philippine basketball contingent clinch the gold medal at the 14th ASEAN School Games held in Brunei Darussalam.
At the 2026 Palarong Pambansa, Baterbonia was again a star, helping his team finish as a runner-up.
Posting, "'Yan lang ang kinaya!" with his teammates and their silver medals, Baterbonia was nevertheless a hero in the eyes of those who knew him.
Gentle giant
Following his death, tributes to Baterbonia circulated through social media.
The president of Ateneo de Davao University grieved with Baterbonia's family and friends, calling the basketball player "one of our own."
In his statement, Karel S. San Juan, SJ, recalled how Baterbonia was "one of the brightest young talents Philippine basketball had seen, and yet those who knew him remembered not only his skill, but his humility, his quiet leadership, and the genuine kindness he showed to everyone around him."
"We will forever remember him as our Gentle Giant. A young man whose presence brought strength, comfort, and joy, and who was truly an MVP on and off the court," San Juan added.
The Department of Education gave its own memoriam of Baterbonia.
"Isang proud na produkto ng Talacogon National High School sa Agusan del Sur at kinatawan ng Ateneo de Davao University, si Bobet ay nagbigay ng karangalan sa Davao Region sa kanyang husay, dedikasyon, at sportsmanship," DepEd wrote in a statement.
"Higit pa sa kanyang mga tagumpay sa hardcourt, maaalala si Bobet bilang isang mapagkumbaba at masipag na atleta," the agency added.
A dedicated son
It appeared no one was more of a fan of Baterbonia, however, than his mother Ruvelyn.
Speaking to Deped Region XI after Baterbonia and his teammates just missed the gold finish at the 2026 Palarong Pambansa, Rovelyn said she was still proud of the boys, and was happy about their dedication to the game.
On her social media, she has been sharing news clips about her son, writing, "Mga ala-alang hindi makalimtan habangbuhay kahit saan. man kami magpunta, dala namin ang ala-alang hindi mabibili [ng] pera, nak. Sana sa pagdating namin ni papa, bigla ka na lang gumising para sa pangalawang yugto ng buhay mo, nak."
Mixed with Rovelyn's grief was the tormenting thought that she didn't get to see or talk to her son before he passed away, as, she said cellphones during the team-building activity at the resort were forbidden.
"Hindi [ko pa] nakita ang katawan nang anak ko. Hanggang ngayon wala pang picture o [video] na binigay nila sa akin. Kung totoo [na ba] talaga na wala na ang anak ko," Rovelyn wrote on Facebook.
She also decried the public's rampant posting about her son's passing.
"Tapos wala pa akong authorisation na mag post kayo, bakit pinang [piyestahan niyo] na ang anak ko. Wala kayong respeto sa aming [pamilya] na hanggang ngayon wala pa talagang binigay na balita sa totoong nangyari at [kung] na saan na ang anak kong [si] Rene Clert Baterbonia..." Rovelyn wrote.
Arriving at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on June 9 to see her boy, Rovelyn could not help but share her heartache with media.
In an interview with GMA News, she anguished over the seemingly harsh training regimen her son and his teammates were put through. She expressed her desire for justice for her son.
"Isang saglit lang, ang pangarap ng aking anak winasak nila,” she lamented. "Ang malaking tanong ko talaga, bakit? Bakit ba ganiyan?"
The PNP has ruled out foul play in its investigation of Baterbonia and Adili's deaths. Meanwhile, the Philippine Sports Commission has convened a panel to look into the incident, in coordination with the police investigation.
