Embattled Blue Eagles withdraw from FilOil preseason tilt

MANILA, Philippines — Ateneo de Manila University has pulled out for the rest of the Filoil Preseason Cup while the UAAP has yet to make a decision on its member school for the upcoming 89th season at the thick of multiple government investigations following the tragic drowing of Rene Baterbonia and Divine Adili in Dipaculao, Aurora.

"The Executive Committee of the 19th Filoil EcoOil Preseason Cup has been informed by of Ateneo's decision to withdraw from competing for the remainder of the tournament," said Filoil, granting the request of the Blue Eagles through athletic director Emmanuel Fernandez "out of compassion following the tragic incident", to not continue its campaign after one of the biggest tragedies in Philippine sports history. 

The Filoil is serving as the preparation league of the majority of the Metro Manila colleges for the upcoming UAAP Season 89 and NCAA Season 102. 

Ateneo's fate in the UAAP, however, is still up in the air as the league announced on Saturday that it will wait for the conclusion of all the ongoing government investigations, including one on men's basketball head coach Tab Baldwin who on Thursday broke his silence with a public apology through a video statement.

“The UAAP will fully take into account the findings of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), the Philippine National Police–Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG), the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and the concerned member school, as only limited details have been officially confirmed,” said the UAAP.

“We urge all concerned agencies to conduct a speedy and thorough investigation in order to put all speculations to rest.”

The UAAP, however, assured that it will take actions, including sanctions in “cases where there are breaches of established protocols, laws, and regulations, provided these sanctions are established through due process and in accordance with governance and disciplinary procedures.”

Also part of the UAAP’s steps down the road are the “review and, if needed, revise existing rules and policies to further strengthen accountability, enhance student-athlete welfare, and uphold the highest standards of safety" as well as to "promote and expand access to protective measures, mental health resources, and support services for student-athletes, coaches, and staff, while sustaining programs that foster camaraderie and communal well-being."

The UAAP has gone under scrutiny by the public to act on the Ateneo incident, citing previous sanctions on other schools with alleged “lighter violations.”

Both families of Baterbonia, an incoming rookie from Ateneo de Davao, and Adili, a sophomore from Nigeria, have cried for clear answers and demanded accountability and justice from what really transpired in Aurora that claimed the young lives of their sons.

But the UAAP is not passing on judgment just yet with an assurance for "truth, justice and accountability" after the conclusion of all the investigations. Save for Ateneo, all seven other UAAP member will serve in a committee to review the findings and decide on it. 

"The UAAP is closely following all developments surrounding this tragic incident and carefully reviewing the findings of the ongoing investigations as they come. When completed, all relevant information will be referred to the seven other member schools for a full and fair review," the league added.

"As a community of educational institutions, we are committed to learning from this tragedy and working together to strengthen safeguards that protect our student-athletes both on and off the field of play."

In Filoil, Ateneo will not push through with the rest of its schedule after playing just one game last Saturday — a 72-52 win against Adamson. The Blue Eagles were scheduled to play the University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers next on Tuesday at the Filoil Centre. 

Baterbonia, 18, and Adili, 21, were last seen in that match behind the Blue Eagles' bench before passing away on Monday due to drowning.

According to Baldwin, the coaching staff sent the team to "routine training run" along the shores of Hermanos Leisure Farm in Brgy. Lipit in Dipaculao before realizing late that the players were already carried to dangerous waters. In an earlier statement by Ateneo on Monday, it was deemed as a "team building".

A public wake for both Baterbonia and Adili at the Ateneo de Davao and Manila campus, respectively, for families, relatives, friends, teammates and fans, has been held over the weekend.

Led by Baldwin and the rest of the team, Ateneo also had a candle-lighting vigil for both players earlier last week as the tragedy, which is now under multi-agency probes as ordered by Malacanang and Congress, ballooned outside the sporting community to a national concern now. 

All of the six siblings of the late Rene Clert “Bobet” Baterbonia have been granted full scholarships by the Ateneo de Davao University as a tribute to his unparalleled legacy, impact and contributions to the university. 

No less than ADDU president Fr. Karel San Juan, SJ, announced the entire academic scholarship until college for the fallen Blue Knight legend’s family during a mass at the Senior High School Bangkal Campus Christ The King Chapel in Davao City over the weekend. 

“Bubuhayin po natin si Bobet sa pamamagitan ng pangarap niya sa kanyang mga minamahal,” said San Juan as ADDU organized a three-day public viewing inside the university campus for families, fans, relatives, friends and teammates to pay their final respects for Baterbonia.

“Yung pangarap na nagdala po sa Maynila at iwan ang pamilya rito sa Davao, ang pangarap niya, na ang kanyang anim na kapatid, ay bibigyan po ng ADDU ng scholarship.” 

The ADDU added that offers were also on the table from Xavier University in Cagayan de Oro, also under the Ateneo university system as a whole, for Baterbonia but the family opted for Davao due to its proximity from their Agusan residence.