Dennis Gaviola

Article (news)

Karen De Guzman

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17815137017081781513700609.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960" alt="Ateneo de Manila University&#x27;s Divine Adili and Rene Baterbonia. Photos from UAAP Media/NBTC"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Ateneo de Manila University&#x27;s Divine Adili and Rene Baterbonia. <em>Photos from UAAP Media/NBTC</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA (<strong>UPDATED</strong>) -- The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) is looking into possible homicide and anti-hazing violations in connection with the deaths of two Ateneo basketball players who drowned during a team building activity in Dipaculao, Aurora.</p><p>Student-athletes Rene Baterbonia and Divine <a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/basketball/2026/6/8/uaap-ateneo-s-adili-baterbonia-pass-away-in-drowning-incident-1959">died in a drowning incident last June 8</a>, while the Blue Eagles were conducting a team-building activity in the area.</p><p>Ateneo head coach Tab Baldwin and team manager Christopher &quot;Epok&quot; Quimpo <a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/basketball/2026/6/15/ateneo-head-coach-tab-baldwin-resigns-in-wake-of-student-athletes-deaths-1424">have resigned in the wake of the tragedy</a>.</p><p>CIDG Director PMGen. Robert Morico II said investigators are examining whether the training activity that preceded the drowning could fall under the country&#x27;s anti-hazing law.</p><p>&quot;The Anti-Hazing Act of 2018 applies not only sa mga fraternities, sa academies, sa mga organizations such as police trainings. It also applies to any organization or a requirement for continuing membership,&quot; Morico said.</p><p>&quot;Among the possible ano nito is the forced calisthenics, exposure to the weather, or any other brutal treatment or forced physical activity,&quot; he added. </p><p>Morico said investigators are looking into whether proper precautions were taken before the activity was conducted.</p><p>The CIDG chief also raised questions about why the activity was held in Aurora despite previous incidents in the area, and whether organizers considered that the participants were basketball players and not trained swimmers.</p><p>&quot;Due diligence was not exercised. Like a good father of a family, you will not subject an individual po doon sa gano&#x27;ng katataas na wave. Have they considered na these players are basketball players and not swimmers?&quot; Morico said. </p><p>Authorities are also looking into the qualifications of the training staff who accompanied the team, including who administered cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) after the incident.</p><p>Morico further questioned why the activity was allegedly conducted in a secluded portion of the beach located hundreds of meters away from a resort where a lifeguard was stationed.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/15/ateneo-s-tab-baldwin-expected-to-face-cidg-labor-dept-0954">READ: Ateneo’s Tab Baldwin skips CIDG, DOLE hearings</a></div><p>&quot;You have conducted the training in the morning sa harapan ng resort. Let&#x27;s say 50 meters [away] ‘yun, why go doon sa secluded na lugar, more than 300 meters away na malayo sa bright eyes? What&#x27;s the purpose? So basically, you&#x27;re endangering somebody,&quot; he stressed. </p><p>He added that local officials had informed investigators that the waters in the area were known for strong waves and were generally considered unsafe for swimming.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>TELCO FOUNDATION </strong></div><p>Meanwhile, Morico disclosed that the Ateneo basketball program is supposedly being managed independently through a foundation of a telecommunications company that oversees the team&#x27;s planning and funding.</p><p>He said this information emerged during the CIDG&#x27;s fact-finding investigation and may be relevant in determining accountability.</p><p>&quot;One of the material fact also is that we learned from the athletics office that the Ateneo basketball team is allegedly autonomous and independently run by a foundation. The program planning and the funding handled by the foundation,&quot; Morico said. </p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/basketball/2026/6/12/-i-failed-as-a-leader-as-a-coach-says-baldwin-as-he-breaks-silence-on-adili-baterbonia-s-death-1935">READ: ‘I failed as a leader, as a coach,’ says Baldwin as he breaks silence on Adili, Baterbonia’s deaths</a></div><p>The CIDG on Monday subpoenaed five officials connected to the Ateneo Blue Eagles, including head coach Baldwin, as part of its investigation.</p><p>According to Morico, only University Athletics Office director Emmanuel Fernandez personally appeared before investigators, while four others were represented by lawyers.</p><p>&quot;We will issue another subpoena because right now, we do not know the purpose of the representation. The lawyers are not present during the time that the incident happened, so they do not have the personal knowledge para makapag shed light po sila,&quot; Morico said. </p><p>Morico added that student-athletes who were present during the activity have requested to appear before investigators on Wednesday through their legal representatives.</p><p>The CIDG has also requested the issuance of an immigration lookout bulletin against individuals being investigated in connection with the incident.</p><p>Morico said authorities have drafted another request to the Department of Justice seeking lookout bulletins for coaches and other officials who failed to honor the subpoena.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>NBI INVESTIGATION</strong></div><p>Meanwhile, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said they will invite Baldwin on Tuesday, along with more than 20 members of the Ateneo basketball team including the coaching staff and players.</p><p>According to NBI Director Atty. Melvin Matibag, the agency aims to complete its investigation within the week and immediately submit its recommendations.</p><p>The owner of Hermanos Leisure Farm and Resort, the venue of the team training, has already voluntarily submitted a sworn statement to investigators ahead of any formal subpoena.</p><p>The NBI is also looking into a video statement circulating on social media by a woman identifying herself as  Baldwin&#x27;s wife.</p><p>&quot;We&#x27;re not discounting it. We&#x27;re not saying na hindi natin pakikinggan or tututukan, but that will be part of the investigation,&quot; said Matibag.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>R</strong><strong>ELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="960" height="540" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Gud0IJmcJQw?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) is looking into possible homicide and anti-hazing violations in connection with the deaths of two Ateneo basketball players who drowned during a team building activity in Dipaculao, Aurora.</p>

The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) is looking into possible homicide and anti-hazing violations in connection with the deaths of two Ateneo basketball players who drowned during a team building activity in Dipaculao, Aurora.

CIDG eyes possible hazing, homicide charges in deaths of 2 Ateneo student-athletes

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CIDG eyes possible hazing, homicide charges in deaths of 2 Ateneo student-athletes

Karen De Guzman,

ABS-CBN News

Published June 15, 2026 05:06 PM PHT

|

Updated June 15, 2026 06:15 PM PHT

Read More:

PNP

CIDG

subpoena

Ateneo Blue Eagles

drowning

hazing

homicide

Rene Bartebonia

Divine Adili

Tab Baldwin

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