Rene Baterbonia's mother denies making money from son's death: 'Ni piso, hindi po ako nanghingi'
Rovelyn Baterbonia, mother of late Ateneo de Manila University basketball player Rene Baterbonia, has addressed accusations that she is making money from her son's death.
Rovelyn was asked for her reaction to the accusations in an interview on Fast Talk with Boy Abunda on Friday, Oct. 2. The "King of Talk" told her, "Patawarin niyo po ako dahil uulitin ko lamang po itong masakit na salita: 'Pineperahan mo ang pagkamatay ng iyong anak.'"
"Sa totoo lang, hindi ko pineperahan ang anak ko, ang pagkamatay ng anak ko. Kasi kahit ni piso, hindi po ako nanghingi sa kahit sinong tao," she stressed.
The accusations came after she and her family opened a mini-museum as well as a merchandise store dedicated to Rene. A video then circulated alleging that those who wished to enter the store had to cough up P30.
As criticisms piled up over the charge, Rovelyn later clarified that the fee was only for the museum to help cover its maintenance expenses, and that visitors can freely enter the merchandise store. Despite this, some still continued to question why there was a fee in the first place.
According to Rovelyn, it was actually Rene who came up with the idea to sell his memorabilia when he was still alive.
"Nung buhay pa po 'yung anak ko, 'yun na po 'yung iniwan niya sa akin na negosyo. Siya 'yung nakaisip na magbenta kami ng mga memorabilia niya," she said.
"Kaya 'yun, nag-umpisa kami. Nag-post ako, 'Sinong gusto mag-order ng Baterbonia niya collection po?' Lahat ng mga uniform niya except Ateneo. And then mga jersey, keychain," she added.
Regarding the fee for the mini-museum, Rovelyn confirmed that they were indeed charging P30 for its maintenance.
"Hindi ko naman po kaya kung ako lang talaga ang mag-[popondo] doon," she reasoned.
Asked for a message to people who continue to criticize her actions, she said, "'Yung mga bashers ko, thank you kasi kayo 'yung nagbibigay sa akin ng lakas. Tapos sana naman kung magba-bash kayo, 'yung katotohanan, hindi 'yung mga fake news."
Rovelyn meanwhile expressed her gratitude to those who have stood by her and her family amid their grief on Rene's death.
Rene passed away in June at the age of 19 after drowning during a team-building activity in Dipaculao, Aurora, alongside fellow Ateneo student-athlete Divine Adili.
Following a series of investigations, the NBI recommended the filing of charges against head coach Tab Baldwin and 11 others for reckless imprudence resulting in homicide in July.
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