Chalssea Kate Echegoyen

Article (news)

Jessie Cruzat

Michael Delizo

ABS-CBN News

MANILA - Aurora police have secured a digital video recorder (DVR) from the resort where Ateneo de Manila University athletes and coaches held a team-building activity that led to the drowning of student-athletes Divine Adili and Rene Baterbonia on June 8.P/Maj. Lorena Bautista, spokesperson for the Aurora Police Provincial Office, said the resort management turned over the DVR to authorities on June 9.The recorder will undergo forensic examination to determine whether it contains information relevant to the ongoing investigation.“Isa-submit po iyon sa forensic examiner po natin para ma-extract po ‘yong nilalaman… Depende po yan sir sa magiging resulta po ng ating examination po from our forensic expert, so, hindi pa natin masasabi kung anong magiging value po nito o kahahalagan po nito sa ating ginagawang imbestigasyon,” said Bautista.Bautista said the Aurora police, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) conducted a joint ocular inspection of the area on June 9 as part of the investigation.“Nagkakaroon po sila ng joint investigation po upang madetermine pa ‘yong mga information na pwede nilang ma-gather.”Authorities maintained that there were no indications of foul play in the deaths of the two athletes.“Nagbigay po ng statement itong ating duty lifeguards sa sa resort as well as po ‘yong ating reaponders from MDRRMO Dipaculao at sinasabi nilang walang pabigat sa anumang bahagi ng katawan no’ng ma-recover po ‘yong katawan ng ating nga biktima,” Bautista said.She added that witness statements likewise showed no signs of violence.“Based po doon sa mga witnesses, sworn statement ng witnesses natin na nakuha ay wala naman pong signs of any foul play and even bruises ay wala namang nakita sa katawan nila.”Initial findings of the investigation indicate that Adili and Baterbonia may have been carried away from the shoreline by a rip current during the team-building activity.<div> </div><div>Asphyxia by drowning </div>A post-mortem examination on the body of Baterbonia showed that he died of “asphyxia by drowning,” Aurora police said Wednesday.In an online media conference, Aurora Police Provincial Office Director Col. Percival Pineda maintained that there was no indication of foul play in the deaths of Baterbonia and Adili.According to Pineda, the incident occurred at around 2:40 p.m. Monday. The two players, along with other team members, were walking along the shoreline in waist-deep water as part of the activity when the tragedy occurred. Only Adili and Baterbonia failed to survive.“Sila po ay naglalakad, nakalinya po sila. Magkakasama po sila, naka-grupo sila nang mangyari ‘yong insidente,” he said.Pineda pointed to the changing conditions of Aurora’s shoreline as a possible factor in the drowning.“Ito po kasing dalampasigan ng Aurora, may part po diyan na dahil po sa current ay nagkakaroon ng parang mga malalim na lugar. Makikita po namin hanggang tuhod ‘yong lalim ng tubig pero eventually po, ‘pag naglakad ka ng konti ay may biglang lubog,” Pineda said.The victims were found unconscious after a 30- to 40-minute search.“Hinanap nila ‘yong mga nawawala. At eventually, una nilang nakita si Rene Baterbonia at sumunod po si Divine Adili,” Pineda said. “Nakita po sila, mga limang dipa po malapit sa shoreline.”Pineda said it was too early to determine any liability on the part of the coaching team or the resort, although he noted that the team had requested privacy during the activity.“Hintayin po nating matapos ang imbestigasyon para makapag-recommend tayo kung ano ang dapat,” he said. “‘Yon pong team ay humiling sila na huwag silang pakialaman sa gagawin nilang activity.<div> </div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/basketball/2026/6/9/ateneo-working-closely-with-adili-baterbonia-families-after-drowning-incident-1848">Ateneo &#x27;working closely&#x27; with Adili, Baterbonia families after drowning incident</a></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/10/house-probe-sought-into-safety-accountability-in-school-sports-programs-1101">NBI to probe death of 2 Ateneo basketball players; House probe into sports programs sought</a></div><div>WHAT IS A RIP CURRENT?</div>Capt. Cheska Ana Jamorol, commander of the Philippine Coast Guard Technical Diving Group, explained that a rip current is a strong and narrow water current that flows away from the shore toward deeper waters.“So, ito po ay nabubuo kapag ang mga alon ay nagtutulak ng tubig papunta sa baybayin at ang naipong tubig ay naghahanap ng daan pabalik sa dagat.”Jamorol said rip currents can often be identified by changes in the color and movement of the water.“Ito ‘yung bahagi ng tubig na naiiba ang kulay kumpara sa paligid. Ito din po yung tubig na nagdadala ng bula, kasama po yung mga damong dagat, saka iba pang bagay, palayo sa baybayin.”She advised beachgoers who are caught in a rip current to remain calm and avoid swimming directly against the flow.“So unang-una po dapat manatiling kalmado, syempre para makapag-isip pa. At huwag pong lumangoy ng diretsyo, pabalik sa pampang, laban sa agos. Kasi ito po yung magkukos ng pagkapagod nyo. Pag napagod kayo, doon po mag-drowning.”Jamorol also urged organizers to carefully plan sea-based team-building activities and monitor weather and ocean conditions beforehand.She recommended checking forecasts and marine advisories through the website of PAGASA to assess wave and current conditions before scheduled activities.

Aurora police have secured a digital video recorder from the resort where Ateneo de Manila University athletes and coaches held a team-building activity that led to the drowning of student-athletes Divine Adili and Rene Baterbonia on June 8.

Aurora police have secured a digital video recorder from the resort where Ateneo de Manila University athletes and coaches held a team-building activity that led to the drowning of student-athletes Divine Adili and Rene Baterbonia on June 8.

Police secure resort video recorder in probe of Ateneo athletes’ drowning

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Police secure resort video recorder in probe of Ateneo athletes’ drowning

Jessie Cruzat,

Michael Delizo,

ABS-CBN News

Published June 10, 2026 04:37 PM PHT

Read More:

Basketball

Divine Adili

Rene Baterbonia

Ateneo Blue Eagles

Aurora Provincial Police Office

Aurora PNP

rip currents

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