Jamaine Punzalan

Article (news)

Jessie Cruzat

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/17811530385861781153037266.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Ateneo de Manila University&#x27;s Divine Adili and Rene Baterbonia. Photos from UAAP Media/NBTC. </span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — The head of Dipaculao, Aurora’s rescue team recounted Thursday their efforts to save Ateneo Blue Eagles basketball players Rene Baterbonia and Divine Adili, who drowned during a team-building activity on June 8. </p><p>In an exclusive interview with ABS-CBN News, Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office rescue team leader Angel Librero said they received a distress call at 3:04 p.m. and arrived at the resort with other responders six minutes later.</p><p>“Nag-interview rin po ako dun sa mga kasamahan po nila kasi wala po kami kaalam-alam don sa identity po nung nalunod. And then po, ang sinabi po nila sa amin ay wala pong damit,” said Librero.</p><p>Upon arrival, the responders found athletes and a lifeguard searching for the victims. </p><p>However, Librero said they were initially unaware that two athletes were missing.</p><p>“Noong nakuha na po namin si Baterbonia, may bumulong po sa akin na may isa pa daw po. ‘Yon po, saka po po sinabi ulit do’n sa kasamahan ko po na meron pang isa. So, bumalik po ulit siya do’n sa tubig. ‘Yon po, nagsigawan na po sila na, ‘There&#x27;s more, there&#x27;s more,’” she said.</p><p>Baterbonia’s body was recovered at around 3:40 p.m., while Adili’s body was found five to seven minutes later, only about three fathoms away from the first victim.</p><p>Librero said both athletes were wearing only shorts when they were recovered.</p><p>“Noong na-recover po namin yun, nakalutang na po sila… Wala po talaga kami nakita ang sign po na nahinga po kasi noong pagtingin po namin talaga unstable na po kaya agad po akong nagsabi na i-transfer na po kaagad,” she said.</p><p>Responders immediately administered CPR and rushed both victims to Aurora Memorial Hospital.</p><p>Librero also clarified that rescuers did not find any weights attached to the victims and observed no visible injuries on their bodies during recovery.</p><p>“Noong nakakuha po siya nung responder ko po, wala naman po siyang pabigat sa paa. ‘Yong sinasabi po nilang weight sa paa, wala po. And then po yung katawan po niya malinis po. Naka-short lang po talaga siya,” she added.</p><p>The rescue team leader further explained that the rope seen attached to Baterbonia’s foot was part of a lifebuoy.</p><p>“And then ‘yong sinasabi po nilang tali na nanggaling po sa paan ni Baterbonia, ‘yon po ‘yong tali po ng salbabida po. Doon po kasi nakatali yung salbabida. Mahaba po kasi yung tali ng salbabida,” he said.</p><p>Despite this, Librero noted that it was possible for a drowning victim to sustain bruises and abrasions due to strong underwater currents.</p><p>“Possible po ‘yon. Kasi sa lakas po ng current na humihila po sa kanila pa ilalim, ‘yong buhangin po na magagaling po doon sa ilalim po ng dagat, possible po na doon po nila makukuha ‘yong pasa and then may gasgas. Kasi ‘yong sa lakas po ng current po, hindi mo na po alam, gugulong-gulong ka na po kasi doon,” she said.</p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&amp;href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Freel%2F1604648321276035%2F&amp;show_text=false&amp;width=560&amp;t=0" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span>Initial findings of the investigation indicate that Adili and Baterbonia could have been <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/health-science/2026/6/11/what-is-a-rip-current-1151">carried away from the shoreline by a rip current </a>during their team-building activity at a resort. </div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/basketball/2026/6/9/pnp-aurora-says-no-foul-play-in-drowning-of-ateneo-s-adili-baterbonia-1238">PNP Aurora says no foul play in drowning of Ateneo&#x27;s Adili, Baterbonia </a></div><p>Librero added that according to the resort management, Ateneo Blue Eagles athletes previously conducted team-building activities in the area several times.</p><p>“According naman po dun sa resort po, pang-apat na po nila. Punta na po nila dyan. Dito sa lugar. Parang fourth batch na po sila kung di ako nagkakamali,” she said.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>NO WARNING SIGNS AT RESORT—LGU</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Meanwhile, the Dipaculao Municipal Tourism Office said it found that there were no warning signs at the resort where the basketball players held their team-building activity.</p><p>“Sa tingin ko po, nagkulang din po sila sa paalala…sa coach, na dapat hindi sila pinapayagan na maligo kung may rip current,” said Dipaculao tourism officer Leticia Combis.</p><p>“Kaya, ang sabi naman po nung coach ay marunong siyang bumasa ng rip current, nung dagat. Kaya siguro, yung lifeguard nila, nag-rely doon sa sinabi ng coach.”</p><p>Combis, however, said the resort&#x27;s permits were complete and updated, although it has yet to secure accreditation from the Department of Tourism.</p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&amp;href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Freel%2F1009279638279648%2F&amp;show_text=false&amp;width=560&amp;t=0" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></div><p>The Dipaculao local government also clarified that neither Ateneo de Manila University nor the team’s coach coordinated with the municipality regarding the team-building activity.</p><p>“Siyempre nagulat dahil hindi naman naming alam na mayroon pala kaming visitor. Dahil wala kaming kalam-alam na may guest pala doon sa isang resort at doon ginaganap ‘yong team building,” said Mayor Danilo Tolentino.</p><p>Tolentino said that had the local government been informed beforehand, it could have coordinated with the Philippine Coast Guard, Philippine National Police, and MDRRMO to monitor and assist the group.</p><p>This, he added, could have been similar to the arrangements made during the Central Luzon Regional Athletic Association (CLRAA) Meet in April.</p><p>“Kung nakarating po sa amin, ay magbibigay kami ng sa kanila ng paalaala dahil nandyan naman po yung aming tourism officer, andiyan na rin yung MDRRMO,” he said.</p><p>The mayor also extended his condolences to the families of the victims.</p><p>“Nakikiramay po ang LGU Dipaculao sa pangyayari na hindi natin ginusto. Bilang punong-bayan, ako po ay nakikidalamhati sa pamilya ng naulila,” he said.</p><p>Tolentino said the local government is ready to cooperate with the ongoing investigation being conducted by a composite team of authorities to determine accountability for the incident.</p><p>As of writing, the owner of the resort has yet to coordinate with the local government.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/basketball/2026/6/11/ateneo-de-davao-priest-pays-tribute-to-bobet-baterbonia-1356">&#x27;Completely devastating&#x27;: Ateneo de Davao priest pays tribute to &#x27;Bobet&#x27; Baterbonia</a><br/><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/11/dole-summons-ateneo-s-tab-baldwin-over-employment-permit-1319">DOLE summons Ateneo’s Tab Baldwin over employment permit</a><br/><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/11/nbi-reviewing-no-foul-play-finding-in-baterbonia-adili-deaths-1312">NBI reviewing ‘no foul play’ finding in Baterbonia, Adili deaths</a></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/M2cKWPjaNJE?&amp;pp=0gcJCTkLAYcqIYzv&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><div><br style="caret-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"/></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YhCOubs_nGw?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><div><br style="caret-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"/></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/L5q0cxZRBOk?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></div>

<p>A rescue team leader recounted Thursday their frantic search for the late Ateneo Blue Eagles basketball players Rene Baterbonia and Divine Adili, who died in a drowning incident in Dipaculao, Aurora.</p>

A rescue team leader recounted Thursday their frantic search for the late Ateneo Blue Eagles basketball players Rene Baterbonia and Divine Adili, who died in a drowning incident in Dipaculao, Aurora.

Rescue leader recounts efforts to save Ateneo's Baterbonia, Adili

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Rescue leader recounts efforts to save Ateneo's Baterbonia, Adili

Jessie Cruzat,

ABS-CBN News

Published June 11, 2026 12:44 PM PHT

|

Updated June 11, 2026 02:47 PM PHT

Read More:

rescue

Ateneo

Rene Baterbonia

Divine Adili

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