House readying probe on Ateneo drowning incident
Published Jun 17, 2026 01:55 pm
At A Glance
- The House readies a motu proprio inquiry into the drowning of Ateneo players Rene Baterbonia and Divine Adili.
- Deputy Speaker Paolo Ortega V said the coaching staff and some players will be invited as resource persons.
- The probe will cover possible negligence, safety lapses, and accountability.
Tab Baldwin (Facebook)
The House of Representatives is preparing to launch a probe in aid of legislation on the tragic drowning of Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) basketball team members Rene Clert Baterbonia and Divine Adili.
According to Deputy Speaker La Union 1st district Rep. Paolo Ortega V, the inquiry will be carried out by the House Committee on Public Order and Safety chaired by Manila 2nd district Rep. Rolando Valeriano.
“May na-file na po si Cong. Valeriano under his committee, for motu proprio inquiry pero wala pa pong date, siguro malalaman po natin tomorrow sa special session po ng Kongreso kung ano pong latest developments doon,” Ortega said.
(Congressman Valeriano has already filed under his committee for a motu proprio inquiry, but there is still no date. We will probably know tomorrow during the special session of Congress what the latest developments are there.)
Ortega said the coaching staff of the Ateneo Blue Eagles basketball team, led by the now-resigned American-Kiwi head coach Tab Baldwin, will be among the first resource persons to be invited by the House panel.
“Definitely po ‘yung coaching staff po ang number one na sigurado po kami na maiimbita. And probably some of the players maiimbita ‘yan kasi they were there during the event,” noted the ranking solon.
(Definitely the coaching staff are the number one we are sure will be invited. And probably some of the players will be invited too since they were there during the event.)
Last June 8, ADMU reported that Baterbonia and Adili drowned during a team-building activity in Aurora.
In the following days, whispers of negligence on the part of the coaches and trainers have grown louder.
Police reports have placed the activity along a shoreline outside the resort’s designated safe area, while investigators have begun considering possible homicide and hazing-related violations as part of the continuing inquiry.
Ortega said the House probe may examine how the team activity was organized, who exercised authority over the players and what responsibilities belonged to the school, the venue and the host community.
The inquiry may also examine the reported role of a foundation or private supporters in operating or financing the team, including how authority and accountability are divided between the university and outside groups.
At any rate, the deputy speaker cautioned against reaching a conclusion on the hazing claim before witnesses and records are examined.
“Siguro po maganda pakinggan natin ‘yung mga susunod na araw kasi maiimbestigahan po lahat ‘yan (Let's just keep our ears open in the coming days for all of these would be investigated),” Ortega said.