IN GOD WE TRUST
Fallen Eagles
A COUPLE young and promising basketeers, talented and eager to show off their prowess for the school and the league they sought, but a terrible tragedy struck, that no one ever imagined would happen led to their untimely death during a team building training.
SPORTS
By Roberto “Bobby” Rondez
6/15/20262 min read
A COUPLE young and promising basketeers, talented and eager to show off their prowess for the school and the league they sought, but a terrible tragedy struck, that no one ever imagined would happen led to their untimely death during a team building training.
We know accident indeed happens, when you least expected and during situation you’re most vulnerable, And when these things happened, there's always a question always ask? Accident or negligence.
Whether accident or negligence, grieving families of Rene Baterbonia (20) and Nigerian foreign student Divine Adili (20), both seeking just one question to the Ateneo University management. To what terribly happened during a plain and simple basketball training that causes the lives of their respective beloved sons.
Baterbonia, whose promising career shone in during the 2025 Palaro Pambansa held in Ilocos Norte, where he helped the Ateneo de Davao, which representing the Davao Region, At the same time was named the meet’s MVP (Most Valuable Player), His brilliant performance earned the knot from the Blue Eagle coaching staff including Tab Balwin, former Gilas Pilipinas mentor,
Adili, was brought by his father to Ateneo upon recommendation by close family friend who worked as consultant in one of the re-known company in the country, Not much detailed about the Nigerian player, but he come to Ateneo to have a better education and to have better quality of life following the path of countrymen Ange Koume, who also played for the Blue Eagles and won the championship five-years ago,
Despite a police investigation is currently being conducted and summoning all the people involved in the said tragedy, grieving mothers of the Baterbonia and Adili are faced with a question, how did it happen? When a simple “ Boot Camp” training turned into a Death Camp. And what made things worst. is Ateneo”s liturgical response to the situation and almost tight-lip and short in coming out with statement
Even Baldwin, took him four days after the said incident, before coming out with his own statement, that he was told allegedly by the school management not give to many details about what happen since there’s already a pending police inquiry and will wait for the result of the investigation.
For this corner, I described Ateno’s less action on the matter, as inept and insensitive, specially the two mothers, who entrusted the lives for their sons to the school officials that they looked after their well being aside proving them with better education. Should the school officials have come up such comforting words soon enough, it could have somehow at lessen the pain they went through,
The incident was further magnified that even no-less Vice President Sara Duterte, was asked by reporters about her comment, the vice president likewise expressed grief, speaking as a mother saying that it was tragic lost, seeing two young athletes, with a promising career met an untimely death. ‘
Rovelyn, Rene’s mother, said the only way I can accept my son’s death, whether accident or anything else. is to explain to me by the school officials in full details, Which I believed the same question the family of Adili is seeking.
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