Camille Naredo

Article (news)

MVP Sports Foundation

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1781584365052mvpsf-logo.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960" alt="MVP Sports Foundation. Handout photo"/>MVP Sports Foundation. Handout photo</div>MANILA -- The MVP Sports Foundation (MVPSF) does not &quot;own or manage&quot; the Ateneo men&#x27;s basketball program, its president said on Tuesday.The statement comes after the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) said on Monday that it received information that the Ateneo men&#x27;s basketball program is &quot;allegedly autonomous and independently run by a foundation.&quot;The CIDG learned the information as part of their investigation into the tragic deaths of student-athletes Rene Baterbonia and Divine Adili, who perished in a drowning incident during a team-building activity in Dipaculao, Aurora last June 8.<div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/15/cidg-eyes-possible-hazing-homicide-charges-in-deaths-of-2-ateneo-student-athletes-1706">READ: CIDG eyes possible hazing, homicide charges in deaths of 2 Ateneo student-athletes</a></div>&quot;The program planning and the funding [are] handled by the foundation,&quot; said CIDG Director PMGen. Robert Morico II.MVPSF President Al Panlilio acknowledged that their foundation has &quot;long supported the Ateneo Men&#x27;s Basketball Team, along with many other collegiate and national sports campaigns, programs, and athletes.&quot;&quot;As with all of the sports programs we support, the MVPSF&#x27;s role is limited to providing funding. The foundation does not own or manage the Ateneo Men&#x27;s Basketball Team,&quot; he added.&quot;It does not run the team&#x27;s programs&#x27; and athletes&#x27; management, coaching, recruitment, and player development.&quot;Panlilio also noted that Christopher &quot;Epok&quot; Quimpo -- the Ateneo men&#x27;s basketball team manager who resigned on Monday -- is an employee of Smart Communications.<div><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">READ: Ateneo coach Baldwin, team manager Quimpo resign after deaths of student-athletes</a></div>&quot;But we understand he has served with the Ateneo Men&#x27;s Basketball Team in his own personal capacity over the past full decade -- as an alumnus of Ateneo, and as a former member of the Ateneo Men&#x27;s Basketball Team, who was invited by Ateneo to be its team manager,&quot; Panlilio added.&quot;In that engagement, he has always been under the authority and direction of the University and its officials.&quot;Aside from Quimpo, Ateneo head coach Tab Baldwin also resigned on Monday. <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">Neither Quimpo nor Baldwin appeared before the CIDG on Monday</a> after being subpoenaed in connection to the tragedy. They also skipped a separate hearing at the labor department.The CIDG said it will issue another round of subpoenas to Baldwin and other Ateneo team officials, who are expected to appear on Friday. Meanwhile, former members of the Ateneo Blue Eagles appeared at the CIDG on Tuesday, though they are not considered as persons of interest but are instead being asked to help investigators piece together what happened.Podcast episodes where the former players had discussed their training in Aurora had resurfaced online in the wake of the tragedy. -- with a report from Karen De Guzman, ABS-CBN News<div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/16/ex-ateneo-players-appear-before-cidg-probe-1016">READ: Ex-Ateneo players appear before CIDG probe</a></div>

The MVP Sports Foundation (MVPSF) does not "own or manage" the Ateneo men's basketball program, its president said on Tuesday.

The MVP Sports Foundation (MVPSF) does not "own or manage" the Ateneo men's basketball program, its president said on Tuesday.

MVP Sports Foundation says role in Ateneo basketball 'limited to funding'

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MVP Sports Foundation says role in Ateneo basketball 'limited to funding'

Camille B. Naredo,

ABS-CBN News

Published June 16, 2026 12:40 PM PHT

Read More:

basketball

Ateneo de Manila University

Ateneo Blue Eagles

MVP Sports Foundation

Al Panlilio

Manny V. Pangilinan

Rene Baterbonia

Divine Adili

Criminal Investigation and Detection Group

CIDG

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