The Philippine National Police (PNP) in Aurora has dismissed rumors claiming that weights were attached to the bodies of Ateneo student-athletes Rene Baterbonia and Divine Adili before they drowned in Dipaculao, Aurora.
In a radio interview on Wednesday, Aurora PNP Public Information Office Chief Maj. Lorena Bautista clarified that rescue teams found no evidence of weights tied to either victim upon recovery.
“Wala naman po silang nakitang weights sa kamay, sa paa during the time na ma-rescue ang mga biktima,” Bautista said.
Bautista explained that these findings were backed by sworn statements from lifeguards, emergency responders, and witnesses at the scene. These accounts also aligned with details provided by the coaching staff of Ateneo de Manila University.
The police official stressed that investigators found no signs of foul play surrounding the tragic event.
“Ang nangyari pong insidente ay aksidente po at walang may kagustuhan,” Bautista said.
When pressed on whether the athletes had been weighed down, Bautista stood firmly by the investigation’s initial results.
“Yes [walang nilagay na weights]. Based po yan sa ating witnesses na nakuhaan natin ng sworn statements,” she added.
This supports an earlier statement from Aurora Provincial Police Office Acting Director Col. Percival Pineda, who classified the tragedy during a press briefing as a “purely accident.”
According to a report from the Police Regional Office Central Luzon on June 8, Baterbonia and Adili were swimming when they were pulled into deeper waters by a strong current.
The incident took place around 2:40 p.m. on Monday, prompting local disaster response units to call for police assistance by 3:15 p.m.
Both individuals were rushed to the Aurora Memorial Hospital for emergency medical treatment. However, despite resuscitation efforts by hospital staff, they were declared dead on arrival.
Baterbonia, 19, was the Most Valuable Player of the 2025 Palarong Pambansa and had committed to playing for the Ateneo Blue Eagles in UAAP Season 89 this coming September.
Adili, 21, a Nigerian student-athlete, previously played for Ateneo’s men’s basketball team during UAAP Season 88.