Ateneo students to protest Baterbonia, Adili deaths through walkout, black bands at graduation

Ateneo de Manila University students are set to protest and air their grievances following the deaths of student-athletes Rene Baterbonia and Divine Adili.

The Loyola Schools student council, Sanggunian ng mga Mag-Aaral ng mga Paaralang Loyola ng Ateneo de Manila, encouraged students to join a community walkout on Friday.

“Amid our collective grief, the Ateneo is in a great period of reckoning. As the community and the loved ones of Rene and Divine reel from this insurmountable loss, it is incumbent on this very institution to face accountability in all forms and subject itself to the calls for renewal from the broader community to which it is answerable,” the Sanggunian said in a social media post.

“As we continue to grieve the tragic loss of our fellow Ateneans, questions remain unanswered, and justice remains out of reach. On Friday, we call on our fellow students, our esteemed faculty and staff, to walk out in solidarity with the bereaved families of Rene and Divine, and echo the resounding call for justice, accountability, and clarity from the administration.”

Meanwhile, Ateneo seniors are encouraging graduates to wear black bands during their commencement exercises.

“Graduation is a time to celebrate with remembrance, gratitude, and love,” the Seniors’ Alliance said.

“But as it has become clear in the last few days, lingering questions about our University's response to this tragedy, and the continued outcry for transparency, justice, and accountability for the deaths of Rene and Divine, have left our batch and the whole of the Ateneo community with anger, loss, and pain that is unlikely to disappear come Graduation Day.”

“We simply cannot act as if everything is normal. In these times of grief and gratitude for our community, it is love that must bind us, and solidarity that must remind us of who we are. Let us respond to this pain with solidarity. Solidarity with the families and teammates of Rene and Divine, with a nation that continues to seek answers, and with a community that demands its own home to do better,” it added.

The Ateneo community has also released open letters from faculty members, students, and organizations regarding the university’s response to the deaths of Baterbonia and Adili.

Ateneo also held a town hall meeting last Tuesday regarding the incident, during which players recounted what happened. University President Fr. Bobby Yap, SJ said his focus is on addressing the needs of the Baterbonia and Adili families.

—JKC, GMA News