The family of the late Ateneo Blue Eagles player Rene Clert Baterbonia has stated they have yet to receive communication from head coach Tab Baldwin following a tragic drowning incident in Aurora that claimed the lives of two student-athletes during a team-building event.
Speaking at a press briefing, Rene’s mother, Rovelyn Baterbonia, expressed that she is currently not emotionally prepared to face Baldwin as she navigates her grief and focuses entirely on her son’s wake and funeral services.
“Kung magharap man kami ngayon, parang hindi ko pa siya kaya kausapin. Kasi nga sabi ko, unahin ko muna ‘yung anak ko. I-ano ko muna ‘yung burol, lahat… kasi kung mag-uusap pa kami, matagalan pa ‘ko dito,” she explained.
Rovelyn further clarified that Baldwin has not made any direct attempt to contact her since the tragedy occurred.
“May contact naman siguro sila sa akin kung gusto nila makiusap sa’kin. Pero sa ngayon, hindi pa rin nila sinabi sa akin na makipag-usap sila sa akin,” she said.
The grieving mother emphasized that launching a legal battle is not her immediate priority, as her main focus remains on transporting her son’s remains back home to Agusan del Sur for his final rest.
Baterbonia and his teammate, Divine Adili, tragically drowned on June 8 after being swept away by strong currents in Dipaculao, Aurora. Local police investigators confirmed that the cause of death for both athletes was asphyxia secondary to drowning.
According to witnesses, the players were directed to wade into waist-deep waters when a sudden, powerful undercurrent pulled several of them further out into the ocean.
Authorities reported that Baterbonia and Adili were dragged into deep waters and were unable to swim back to shore. Rescue teams located and recovered the two athletes roughly 40 minutes later. They were rushed to a nearby hospital but were pronounced dead on arrival.
Two other players who were also caught in the current managed to survive after lifeguards intervened.
While representatives from Ateneo de Manila University have visited Baterbonia’s wake to pay their respects, they have declined to issue any public statements regarding the incident.