The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has recommended the filing of criminal and administrative charges against several individuals it believes should be held accountable for the death of Ateneo basketball players Rene Baterbonia and Divine Adili.
The bureau recommended that charges of reckless imprudence resulting in two counts of homicide be filed against eight members of the coaching staff of the Ateneo men's basketball program, including former head coach Tab Baldwin.
It also recommended the filing of simple negligence resulting in two counts of homicide charges against several others, as well as an administrative complaint against the local government unit of Dipaculao, the town in Aurora, the location of the resort where Baterbonia and Adili drowned during a reported team-building activity of the basketball team on June 8, 2026.
The NBI detailed the charges and their reasons as follows:
CRIMINAL CHARGE: Reckless imprudence resulting in two counts of homicide (coaching staff who planned and conducted the water resistance run)
1 Thomas Anthony “Tab” Baldwin, head coach — Conceived, planned, and directed the sea drill; chose the open, surf-exposed site; knew a player could not swim yet provided only a verbal rip current warning - no life vests, lifeguard, or medical/rescue on standby - foreseeable peril met with grossly deficient precaution; proximate cause of both deaths.
2 Ceasar Vincent “CJ” Elumba, Strength and conditioning coach — As the conditioning coach who designed and led the regimen culminating in the sea drill, instituted no flotation or rescue safeguard against the manifest hazard.
3 Grand Dearns, Strength and conditioning coach — Co-designed and conducted the drill; failed to abort or impose safeguards though non-swimmers and sea conditions made drowning foreseeable and preventable.
4 Reynaldo “Jon” Jacinto, Jr., Assistant Coach — Took part in conducting the se drill and the ensuing rescue yet required no flotation or rescue capability and did not halt the activity.
5 Dean Caesar B. Castaño, Assistant Coach — Participated in supervising and conducting the drill; omitted the basic safety measures the evident danger demanded.
6 Sandro Nicholas Soriano, Assistant Coach — Among the coaching staff conducting the drill; without adequate rescue means for a known non-swimmer, the want of precaution contributed to the deaths.
7 Hernan Ameer M. Domingo, Assistant Coach — Participated in conducting the activity; shared in the inexcusable omission of flotation, lifeguard, and medical/evacuation standby.
8 John Eric “Jeric” Rueca, Physical Therapist — The first aid/BLS-certified health officer present; a non-swimmer entered open surf with no medical or evacuation standby arranged, and he did not intervene - an omission of the precaution his presence permitted.
CRIMINAL CHARGE: Simple negligence resulting in two counts of homicide (supervisory/venue respondents without actual knowledge of the specific drill)
9 Emmanuel “Em” Fernandez, Athletic Director, University Athletics Office — Carried the institutional, non-delegable duty to promulgate and enforce athlete-safety protocols 9CHED MO 63 s. 2017; MO 13 s. 2026); his own negative certification shows no protocol, approved calendar, medical clearance, or consent existed - a want or ordinary care contributing to the deaths.
10 Francisco Zubia III y Barangan, Operating Manager, Hermanos Resort — Gave a careless favorable-sea assurance drawn from an AI application rather than a competent source, and failed to ensure the resort’s lifeguard-accreditation, signage, and warning compliance (Ord. 2025-12).
11 Frederick Zubia y Barangan, Co-Manager, Hermanos Resort — Shared the operational duty to maintain beach safety measures and regulate guest access to the sea and failed to do so; lacking knowledge of the specific drill, the omission is simple negligence.
12 Yedda Mary M. Rubio, Co-Manager, Hermanos Resort — Handled the booking and shared resort management and its safety duty; the same failure of ordinary care contributed to the fatal outcome.
ADMINISTRATIVE CHARGE - Referred to DILG (Department of Interior and Local Government)
Responsible officials, Municipality of Dipaculao, Aurora: BPLO Officer, Municipal Tourism and Cultural Development Officer, and MDRRMO Head — Regulatory accountability for permitting a non-Tourism-accredited establishment and for non-enforcement of Ordinance No. 2025-12 and HPCG/CG MC No. 03-14 (Standard Operating Procedure, Resort Safety Inspection, Lifeguard Safety, etc.)
It was on when the Department of Justice (DOJ) directed the NBI to open an investigation into the drowning. Read story: https://www.gmanetwork.com/regionaltv/sports/114377/nbi-orders-probe-into-death-of-ateneo-basketball-players/story/
Initial findings of the Police Regional Office 3 (PRO-3) showed "the victims were swimming when they were reportedly carried by a strong current into deeper waters.”
