Tragedy strikes Blue Eagles as players Baterbonia, Adili succumb to drowning

MANILA, Philippines — Incoming Ateneo rookie and former Palarong Pambansa MVP Rene Baterbonia from Davao Region alongside Nigerian center Divine Adili have passed away in an unfortunate drowning incident, the Blue Eagles announced Monday. 

Ateneo was in the middle of a team building activity in Dipaculao, Aurora on Monday afternoon as part its preparations for the ongoing Filoil Preseason Cup and the upcoming UAAP Season 89 when the tragic incident happened. 

Incoming Ateneo rookie and former Palarong Pambansa MVP Rene Baterbonia from DAVRAA alongside Nigerian center Divine Adili have passed away in an unfortunate drowning incident, the Blue Eagles say today. @PhilippineStar @StarSportsHub @PhilstarNews pic.twitter.com/k5Qfnd4gga

— John Bryan Ulanday (@bryanulanday) June 8, 2026

No other details were provided at the moment. 

The 6-foot-4 Baterbonia was 19 and just arrived in Manila recently. On Saturday, he was seen behind the bench of Ateneo that scored a 72-52 debut win against Adamson in Filoil.

Adili, a 6-foot-10 foreign student-athlete from Ateneo’s UAAP Season 88 campaign, was 21.

“The entire Ateneo community mourns the loss of Rene and Divine. The University extends its heartfelt condolences to their families, friends, teammates, coaches and loved ones,” said Ateneo in a statement. “We ask the community to keep them in their prayers during this most difficult time.”

Ateneo is currently providing support to the families of the two Blue Eagles as well as to their teammates and friends with the wake and funeral arrangements set to be announced soon upon consultation with their families. 

Baterbonia was coming off an illustrious high school career with Ateneo de Davao, steering the Davao Region to its 1st Palaro title last year as the MVP and Mythical Team member that led to his stardom and later on recruitment by Ateneo de Manila to play in the UAAP. 

This year, Baterbonia was named to the Mythical Team anew but yielded the throne to Calabarzon in Agusan del Sur, where he was treated with a grand homecoming as a native of the Talacogon town.