Ateneo de Manila University confirmed on Monday, June 8, the passing of 19-year-old rookie Rene Cert “Bobet” Baterbonia, and 21-year-old foreign student athlete Divine Adili.
They were reportedly swept away by strong currents that ultimately led to a drowning incident while in the middle of a team-building activity in Dipaculao, Aurora.
Ateneo confirms drowning incident in team-building
Ateneo was the first to confirm the news that a drowning incident during the Blue Eagle’s team activities had claimed the lives of Agusan del Sur native Rene Baterbonia, and Nigerian athlete Divine Adili.
In a statement, Ateneo expressed its profound sadness and condolences as they mourned the deaths of Rene and Divine.
The university said it is “providing support” to their families and teammates.
Read ADMU’s full statement below:
University Statement
It is with profound sadness that Ateneo de Manila University confirms the passing of two student-athletes of the Ateneo Men's Basketball Team, Rene Clert Baterbonia and Divine Adili, following a drowning incident that occurred during a team-building activity in Dipaculao, Aurora, on the afternoon of June 8, 2026.
The entire Ateneo community mourns the loss of Rene and Divine. The University extends its heartfelt condolences to their families, friends, teammates, coaches, and loved ones. We ask the community to keep them in their prayers during this most difficult time.
The University 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.
We respectfully ask for privacy and space for all those grieving as they come to terms with this profound loss.
As a community, we mourn with the families and loved ones of Rene and Divine and entrust them to God's loving mercy. We ask for continued prayers for all who are affected by this tragedy.
Details regarding the wake and funeral arrangements will be announced once these have been finalized in consultation with their families.
(end of ADMU’s statement)
What we know so far (timeline)
At the onset, Ateneo’s statement in the afternoon of June 8, had already made it clear that the tragedy happened during a team-building activity at a beach location in the municipality of Dipaculao, Aurora on the same day.
On the evening of Monday, the University Athletics Association of the Philippines (UAAP) and the Samahang Basketball ng Pilipinas (SBP) conveyed their sympathies and condolences to the victims’ families.
At 8:52 PM still on Monday, the PNP Police Regional Office (PRO) 3 posted on Facebook a statement that included its initial findings, which according to reports from the Dipaculao Municipal Police Station, indicate that Rene and Divine were “swimming” when they got “carried by a strong current into deeper waters.”
PRO 3 said their personnel responded soon after they received information on the incident, and coordinated immediately with concerned agencies to seek further assistance.
“The victims were promptly transported to a medical facility; however, they were later declared dead by the attending physician,” wrote PRO 3 Regional Director PBGen. Jess B. Mendez.
At 11:43 AM on Tuesday, June 9, a press briefing led by Aurora police chief Col. Percival Pineda was held to provide a bit more details on the incident.
Ultimately, based on the pertinent information available from ongoing investigations– including accounts of those present during the activity – Pineda ruled the incident as “purely accidental.”
“Base po sa ating nakuhang salaysay sa mga kasama nya, itong insidente ay purely accident, natural accident po yung nangyari. Hindi po talaga inaasahan, at sa ngayon wala po tayong nakikitang foul play,” he detailed.
Pineda said that it happened at a resort in Barangay Lipit, at around 2:40 in the afternoon of June 8.
Based on statements from members of the team building event, Rene and Divine were in the middle of an activity where they had to walk with their thighs submerged in water, when they were washed away by strong currents to deeper waters.
“Base po sa salaysay ng ating mga nakausap na kasamahan nila, mayroon silang activity na kung saan lumalakad ang players sa dagat, o tabing dagat, at hanggang hita ang lalim ng tubig, bigla na lang silang napunta sa malalim na parte, dun sa parte ng nilalakaran nila ay mayroong malalim na lugar at bigla silang tinangay ng current papunta sa mas malalim na lugar ng dagat,” Pineda said.
The Aurora police chief also said that the resort had life guards in duty who helped in attempting to retrieve the student-athletes to safety.
“So may mga kasama po sila na tumulong, at meron ding lifeguard ang nasabing resort, at sila yung tumulong, ngunit sa kasamaang palad nga ay nasawi yung dalawang players,” he said.
Pineda said they responded immediately as soon as their office received a call from the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) at 3:15PM.
Because the area was a bit more private that often welcomes a smaller population of tourists compared to other attractions in the province, it was relatively farther to reach for the responding team, though Pineda clarified that PNP, MDRRMO, and the Philippine Coast Guard all acted with immediacy.
In the press briefing, Pineda also said that this was not the first time that the group held their team building activities in the same beach resort in Dipaculao.
“... at ito actually ay may mga series na ng ganitong activity itong grupo na ito, hindi po ito ngayon lang. Nung nakaraang taon, may mga activity na sila sa nasabing resort lang din. Kaya nga tingin po natin, alam nila yung sitwasyon sa lugar na ito kaya [sila] ginagawa nila yung usual na activities nila doon,” said Pineda, who also maintained that because the camp was a routinary activity, the presumption was the team knew the water conditions.
“Pang-ilang activity na nito nila sa same resort, kaya talagang alam nila yung kundisyon ng dagat, kung ano ang dapat gawin,” he added.
Also on Tuesday morning, the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) released a statement, expressing its full cooperation with all concerned agencies such as the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) tasked to conduct an investigation regarding the team building event.
PSC emphasized that it would convene a multi-stakeholder panel involving the Samahang Basketball ng Pilipinas (SBP), the University Athletics Association of the Philippines (UAAP), the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and the National Youth Commission (NYC) – tasked not only to fact-find but to “examine existing policies” and “strengthen safeguards in athletic training environments.”
Philippine sports community mourns Rene, Divine’s passing
The untimely deaths of Rene and Divine have been the subject of enormous grief and mourning from a Philippine sports world caught off guard by the tragedy.
Ateneo de Davao University (AdDU) president Karel San Juan, SJ conveyed his deepest sympathies.
“We grieve,” wrote San Juan, who called Baterbonia “one of their own” and “more than a student-athlete.”
“He was a brother, a teammate, a friend, and an inspiration to everyone who had the privilege of knowing him. The Palarong Pambansa 2025 Most Valuable Player, one of the brightest young talents Philippine basketball had seen, and yet those who knew him remembered not only his skill, but his humility, his quiet leadership, and the genuine kindness he showed to everyone around him. We will forever remember him as our Gentle Giant. A young man whose presence brought strength, comfort, and joy, and who was truly an MVP on and off the court,” the university president said.
AdDu also mourned the death of Nigerian student-athlete Divine.
“We trust that the circumstances of this tragedy will be examined fully, and that whatever is found will be addressed with honesty and care for the families,” he said.
AdDU will be dedicating a mass to the lives of Bobet and Divine on Friday, June 12, at 10:00 in the morning at the Senior High School Chapel.
Baterbonia was a standout from the AdDU basketball program and won a championship for the Davao region in Palarong Pambansa 2025, where he was also crowned the Finals Most Valuable Player.
The UAAP, the SBP, and the PSC have all expressed their deepest sympathies and condolences through separate statements between June 8 and 9.
Baterbonia, a 6-foot-4 cager who hailed from Talacogon, Agusan del Sur, was a standout from the Ateneo de Davao University basketball program who made waves in the Palarong Pambansa when he won MVP and steered the Davao Eagles to a championship in 2025.
Just last May, Baterbonia capped his Palaro journey with a silver finish next to eventual champions Region IV-A in the secondary boys’ basketball tournament in the 2026 Palarong Pambansa held in Agusan del Sur.
Adili was a 6-foot-10 Nigerian center for Ateneo who already suited up as the Blue Eagles’ foreign student athlete in Season 88.
Both Baterbonia, an incoming rookie, and Adili, a returning FSA, were expected to be integral cogs in Ateneo’s campaign come Season 99 later this year.
(this is a developing story)
