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The Ateneo community, as well as fans of collegiate basketball, woke to horrible news after the Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) announced on social media that Rene Clert Baterbonia and Divine Adili, two members of the Ateneo Men's Basketball Team, died during a team-building activity. In posts on Facebook, X, and Instagram, the university said that the two players drowned in Dipaculao, Aurora on the afternoon of June 8, 2026. Aside from joining the Ateneo community in mourning the loss and extending assistance to the athlete's families, the university also asked for privacy and space for those who are grieving. The university also said that the details of the wake and the funeral arrangements will be announced once it has been finalized with the families of the athletes. The Facebook post announcement, in particular, has been flooded with calls for accountability. It has now amassed more than 200,000 reactions, more than 9,000 comments, and has been shared more than 100,000 times. Meanwhile, the Philippine Sports Commission put out an announcement that it is cooperating with the Philippine National Police and the Department of Justice to establish “a clear, accurate, and comprehensive understanding of the events that transpired.” It also announced that a multi-stakeholder body composed of the Samahang Basketball ng Pilipinas (SBP), the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP), the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and the National Youth Commission (NYC) will also be examining “existing policies, protocols, and training practices toward resolutions to strengthen safeguards in athletic training environments.” “The goal is not only to understand what happened, but to ensure that lessons learned lead to safer, more responsive systems that protect athletes while sustaining high-performance sport. Excellence in sport requires environments that push human potential, but never at the expense of safety,” the commission wrote in the statement. MEANWHILE, LOOK BACK ON THE PERSONALITIES WE LOST IN 2025 IN THE GALLERY BELOW Love this content? Subscribe to our newsletter for more captivating stories and lifestyle features. Just enter your email here .
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