Inihayag ni Elias Adili, ama ni Divine Adili, ang nasawing Ateneo de Manila University's foreign student-athlete, na breadwinner ng kanilang pamilya ang kaniyang anak, at mapagmahal na kapatid. Ang ama, sinabing hindi niya alam kung papaano sila magsisimula sa nangyaring trahedya sa kanilang pamilya.
Sa ulat ni JP Soriano sa GTV News Balitanghali nitong Biyernes, inilahad ni Elias na malayo pa sana ang mararating ng anak sa pangarap nito, matapos lumipad mula Nigeria papuntang Pilipinas para makapag-aral at makapaglaro ng basketball.
“Very gentle. He plays basketball very well. He’s well-mannered, well-cultured. He respects people. And he takes care of his siblings. He’s a very good boy,” sabi ni Elias.
Habang inaabot ang kaniyang pangarap sa larangan ng basketball, hindi kinakalimutan ni Divine ang kaniyang pamilya.
Ayon pa kay Elias, mapagmahal na anak at kapatid si Divine.
“His demise is a very big blow to the family. The mother, as I’m telling you now, the mnother is seriously in pain, seriously in pain. She has been crying since that Monday till today. Until this, now I’m speaking with you, she is crying," sabi pa ni Elias.
Nakausap pa raw ni Elias ang anak noong Linggo nang magtungo ang mga manlalaro sa Aurora para sa team building activity ng Ateneo Blue Eagles Basketball Team.
“For me [on] Monday to get this news… This is very sad news, very painful news of his demise. Now that he’s gone, I don’t know where I will start again,” sabi pa ni Elias.
Lunes nang malunod sa dagat ng Dipaculao, Aurora sina Divine at kaniyang teammate na si Rene Baterbonia.
Tulad ng pamilya ni Baterbonia, marami pang tanong na bumabagabag sa pamilya ni Adili sa nangyaring trahedya.
“I was so disheartened and disappointed about the whole incident because there were measures that were supposed to be in place before you take the people to water, and those things were neglected,” sabi pa ni Elias.
“I believe they are supposed to read the weather before they can move to the sea. So, those things are the things troubling my heart, and the feeling of my family [is] we are highly devastated,” dagdag pa niya.
Dumalaw sa Arlington Chapel sa Quezon City ang mga kaibigan ni Divine at kapwa Nigerian basketball players.
"He's just a good friend. He's just a good guy, there's nothing bad to say about him. It's all good. He's just a great guy,” sabi ni Dikachi Ududo, Up Fighting Maroons player, kababayan at kaibigan ni Divine sa Nigeria.
"We just pray God comforts the family, then we just wait for the investigation going on before we have anything to say," sabi ni Emmanuel Ojuola, dating UAAP basketball player, at kaibigan ni Divine sa Nigeria.
Nagpunta rin doon ang dating Ateneo Blue Eagles member na si Chibueze Ikeh, dating Ateneo Blue Eagles player, kababayan at kaibigan ni Divine.
"I went through the same training program he went through... It was okay, it was just, I mean like I said, it was just an unfortunate incident," ani Ikeh.
Ngunit hiling niya, magbigay pa sana ng paliwanag at pahayag ang kaniyang coach na si Tab Baldwin.
"I would love for him (Coach Tab Baldwin) to speak up and let the people know what happened. I mean, this would give a lot of people closure," sabi pa ni Ikeh.
Hiniling ng pamilya ni Adili na i-autopsy muna ang kaniyang labi bago iuwi sa Nigeria, sabi ng embahada ng Nigeria dito sa Pilipinas.
"The family has requested that an autopsy be conducted before arrangements for the repatriation of Mr. Adili's remains to Nigeria are finalized. The Embassy is providing all necessary consular assistance and support in this regard," sabi ng Embassy of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Patuloy ang direktang pakikipag-ugnayan ng embahada sa pamilya ni Adili sa Ateneo de Manila University at sa mga awtoridad. – Jamil Santos/FRJ GMA News
