MANILA - Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) President Father Roberto Yap became emotional as he condemned acts that deepened the pain members of the Ateneo community are going through from the deaths of student-athletes Rene Baterbonia and Divine Adili.
Yap attended the hearing of the Senate Committee on Basic Education on Thursday, July 9, which is more than a month since the two died in a training of their basketball team in Aurora on June 8.
Rene Baterbonia's tomb filled with flowers as people remember him 1 month after death
“Many continue to endure cyberbullying, online harassment and trial by publicity while grieving. We unequivocally condemn these acts because they only deepen the pain of those already grieving for spreading disinformation and causing further harm. Our support for those affected does not diminish our commitment to care for every member of our community while the legal processes are ongoing,” Yap said.
He added that they continue to help the families of Baterbonia and Adili and that their fact-finding investigation is still ongoing.
Also present in the hearing were officials of the local government of Aurora and the resort where the training happened.
They differed in their description of how the waves were on the day the two students died.
Baterbonia family receives keys to new NHA condo unit
“During that time, medyo normal lang po eh, mababa lang po yung mga alon. Di ko lang po maano kung yung time na nangyari, kung meron pong unusual na waves po na tumama po sa’ting mga players,” said Fancisco Zubia III, Vice President of the Hermanos Leisure Farm and Surf Camp.
According to Kris Anjelli Librero, team leader of the Dipaculao, Aurora Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO), “Malalaki po talaga yung alon po… Doon sa mismong area lagi po siyang naka-red flag. ‘Pag red flag po hindi po siya basta-basta puwedeng liguan. Puwede po siyang liguan basta po meron po siyang life vest.”
“From 2022 po including po kay Baterbonia at saka kay Adili, mayroon na pong pitong nalunod po doon and two near drowning incident,” said Teresita Viloria, Officer III of the Dipaculao, Aurora MDRRMO.
Librero also clarified why they temporarily stopped the cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on Baterbonia.
“Yung pagpapatigil po ng CPR ay panandalian lang naman po yun para po mabilis po namin mailipat po yung katawan po nung nalunod sa safe na area, which is po doon naman po itutuloy po yung pag-CPR hanggang makarating po ng ospital,” Librero explained.