Ateneo de Davao University renames covered court after Rene Baterbonia
Ateneo De Davao University will be renaming its senior high school covered court as a tribute to its alumnus Rene Baterbonia, who drowned during a team-building activity with the Ateneo Blue Eagles.
At the end of the send-off Mass for Baterbonia at the ADDU chapel before his remains were transported to his hometown of Agusan del Sur, ADDU President Fr. Karel San Juan made the announcement in front of a full congregation.
He began by saying the send-off wouldn't be the last time ADDU would be keeping Baterbonia's spirit and inspiration alive.
For one, the Jesuit said, the university would be having Baterbonia's parents over frequently as visitors since the athlete's six siblings would be going to the university on full scholarships.
"Hindi lang 'yan," San Juan said in Tagalog with a sprinkling of Cebuano. "'Di ba ang ganda ng campus ng senior high school? Ito ang pinakamaganda naming campus dito sa Ateneo de Davao. Napakaganda ng chapel, dito po nagdasal si Bobet nang madalas. Doon sa covered court, doon po nag-graduate si Bobet kasama ang iya nga mama."
He then mentioned a meeting he had with the university's Board of Trustees chairman, Benjamin A. Lizada.
"Kausap ko na ia-approve po namin 'yung... gagawin po naming pangalan ng covered courts, RBBCC. Ano'ng ibig sabihin ng RBBCC? Rene Bobet Baterbonia Covered Courts," San Juan said.
"Ang pangalan niya, pati 'yung kanyang pictures...na naglalaro...Ilalagay din namin ang photos ni Bobet doon at forever naming maaalala si Bobet Baterbonia sa pamamagitan ng covered courts," the university president added.
After three days of public viewing at the ADDU chapel, Baterbonia's remains left the campus on Monday morning, June 15. A convoy of vehicles escorted his body to Baterbonia's hometown in Talacogon, Agusan del Sur, where he will be laid to rest.
Team-building tragedy
ADMU released a statement informing the public that Baterbonia and his teammate, Divine Adili, passed away on June 8 after drowning in Dipaculao, Aurora during a team-building activity.
The university has since said it is conducting its own comprehensive fact-finding inquiry into the tragedy and is "providing support to the families of Rene and Divine, as well as to their teammates and members of the Ateneo community affected by this tragedy."
Various agencies and organizations have launched parallel investigations into the incident, including the National Bureau of Investigation, the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit, the Philippine Sports Commission, the Commission on Higher Education, and the Aurora local government. Initial findings from the Aurora police have shown no evidence of foul play.
Following the university's announcement of Baterbonia and Adili's deaths, ADMU President Fr. Roberto Yap SJ gave several official statements. He said that as the university grieved for its student-athletes, it also convened a fact-finding panel to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances of the incident. To allow for the "total integrity" of the probe, Yap said Ateneo men's basketball head coach Tab Baldwin and team manager Christopher "Epok" Quimpo were placed on leave.
Amid calls for Baldwin to personally pay his respects to the Baterbonia and Adili families, Yap wrote that the coach's silence was not self-imposed. Rather, it was a university decision to "allow official processes to proceed and the facts to be established before any public discussion of the matter," Yap said.
Baldwin made his first public appearance following the tragedy at a candlelight vigil for Baterbonia and Adili on June 11 at the ADMU campus.
On June 12, through a video statement, Baldwin offered an apology to the Baterbonia and Adili families, both of whom said an apology was not enough.
