Sa unang pagkakataon, nagsalita na si Tab Baldwin, ang head coach ng Ateneo de Manila University, tungkol sa pagkamatay ng mga student-athlete na sina Rene Baterbonia at Divine Adili, matapos malunod sa kanilang training sa Aurora.
Sa isang video na naka-post sa social media ng unibersidad nitong Biyernes, humingi ng paumanhin si Baldwin sa mga pamilya ng dalawang manlalaro.
"I'm sorry. To the depth of my being, I'm sorry," saad ni Baldwin.
Binalikan din niya ang mga pangyayaring naganap sa araw na nangyari ang trahedya.
“On that fateful day when we sent the players out for a routine training run in what we thought was shallow water, up to the moment when we realized that whatever had happened, they were in dangerous water. We did everything that we could,” ani Baldwin.
“As coaches, as people responsible for that situation, the players themselves did everything they could to ensure that everybody arrived back on shore safely. And then we realized that we hadn't accomplished that.”
“And in that moment, I experienced the descent into the darkest place imaginable. And yet I knew at the same time that good people, people that had done an amazing job raising these two young men, were going to be in an even darker, more horrible place,” patuloy niya.
“At that moment, I felt I had failed. I failed as a leader. I felt I had failed as a coach.”
Dagdag pa niya, pakiramdam niya ay hindi lamang sina Adili at Baterbonia ang kaniyang binigo kung hindi ang buong koponan.
“When later I faced the team to try to be a leader in that moment, I felt that I failed them too,” sabi ng coach.
“And that left me with really the only thing that I've been clinging to for the last several days — that as part of a community of faith, to pray, to pray that the Lord embraces our two boys. To pray that the Lord gives peace, comfort, some sense of sanity to the Baterbonia family and the Adili family.
“And I continue to beseech everybody that cared for, loves, loved Rene and Divine and their families. Please keep praying. I think that my voice in prayer is hoarse now, but it will never be enough.”
Kinilala rin ni Baldwin na higit na mas mabigat ang dinaranas na pagdadalamhati ng mga pamilya ng dalawang yumao kaysa sa kaniyang nararamdaman o ng buong koponan.
“We're carrying immense remorse. But I've known since the moment that I was told that our boys had passed away, that no matter the magnitude of our grief, there were two families that experienced a loss that was so much greater than ours, and a loss that would stay with them in the most acute way for the remainder of their lives. Never again would Rene's mother and father and family, never again would Divine's family be able to talk to their son or touch their son,” sabi pa ni Baldwin.
“Yes, as a coach, I lost my boys too. Never again would I be able to help them develop into the basketball player they wanted to be, to help them grow into the young man that they promised that they could be. But that's insignificant compared to what your families are experiencing.”
“As a coach, we are entrusted with the growth of our basketball players, the development of these young men into future professionals. But mostly, as a coach, I'm entrusted by you, the parents and the families, with first and foremost, their well-being. And in this, I feel I've failed.”
“So deeply sorry. And I'm so deeply sorry not just the families, but everybody that feels let down, somehow betrayed,” patuloy niya.
“And I pray that we all find some pathway forward to come back to hope for the future, love for one another, and forgiveness for those of us who failed and tried so desperately hard to reach a better outcome.”
Ito ang unang pagkakataon na nagsalita si Baldwin tungkol sa trahedya. Noong Huwebes, sinabi ng Ateneo na pinayuhan nila ang Blue Eagles coach na umiwas muna sa pagbibigay ng pahayag hinggil sa insidente. —FRJ GMA News
