PNP rules out foul play in Ateneo athletes drowning incident
The Philippine National Police Aurora has ruled that there were no signs of foul play in the drowning incident that killed Ateneo student-athletes Rene Clert Baterbonia and Divine Adili.
"Base po sa ating nakuhang salaysay sa mga kasama [nila], itong insidente na ito ay talagang purely accident," Police Colonel Percival R. Pineda said in a press conference on June 9.
"Natural accident po ang pangyayari, 'di po talaga inaasahan. At sa ngayon, wala po tayong nakikitang foul play."
Baterbonia and Adili lost their lives on June 8 while the team was on a team-building trip in Dipaculao, Aurora. Initial findings indicated that the players were swimming when they were reportedly carried by a strong current into deeper waters, as per Police Regional Office 3.
Pineda reported that the incident happened at 2:40 p.m. on Monday while the players were holding an activity in front of a beach resort.
"Batay sa salaysay ng ating mga nakausap na kasama nila, meron silang activity kung saan lumalakad ang mga players natin sa dagat, sa tabing-dagat," he said.
"Hanggang hita po lalim ng tubig, at bigla na lang po silang napunta sa malalim na part, doon sa parte na nilalakaran nila, mayroong malalim na lugar. At eto nga po, bigla silang tinangay ng current papunta sa malalim na lugar sa dagat."
Other players and the resort's lifeguard helped out Baterbonia and Adili, but the two athletes unfortunately passed away.
Dipaculo Police Chief PMaj. Eduardo S. Mendoza Jr. added that the police responded to the incident immediately after getting a call from the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office at around 3:15 p.m.
According to Pineda, the activity held at the beach was not something new to the basketball team.
"Ito po actually ay may mga series na ng ganitong activity 'yung grupo na ito," he said.
"Ibig sabihin, hindi lang po ito ngayon lang. May nakaraang taon po may mga activity na sila sa nasabing resort. Kaya nga po sa tingin po natin ay alam nila 'yung sitwasyon sa lugar na 'yun, kaya po sila ay ginagawa nila 'yung usual activities nila na ito."
Baterbonia, an Agusan del Sur native, won for Davao the region's first Palarong Pambansa basketball championship in December 2025. The 6-foot-4 former Ateneo de Davao star was declared MVP. He graduated from senior high school at Ateneo de Davao University then transferred to Manila to enroll in AdMU and join the Ateneo Blue Eagles men's basketball team. He was training to play in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines Season 89 when he passed away.
Meanwhile, Adili was a 6-foot-10 Nigerian who competed in UAAP Season 88 with Ateneo Blue Eagles. Although back issues kept him from completing the season, he eventually recovered and helped Ateneo break its five-game losing streak.
