Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) chief Maj. Gen. Robert Morico II (PNA photo
MANILA (June 12) — The investigation into the drowning deaths of Ateneo student-athletes Rene Baterbonia and Divine Adili has widened, with the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) issuing subpoenas to coaches and players who were present during the June 8 team activity in Aurora province.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said Thursday that the subpoenas were issued as part of a fact-finding inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the tragedy, including possible violations of Republic Act No. 11053, or the Anti-Hazing Act of 2018.
“Subpoenas have been issued to the coaches and players present during the activity as part of fact-finding efforts,” the DILG said.
The CIDG has also asked the Department of Justice (DOJ) to issue an Immigration Lookout Bulletin Order (ILBO) against Ateneo head coach Tab Baldwin.
According to DOJ spokesperson Polo Martinez, the request is the second filed against Baldwin, an American-Kiwi national. The first came from lawyer Israelito Torreon, counsel for the family of Baterbonia, who sought to ensure authorities would be alerted should the coach attempt to leave the country while investigations are ongoing.
At the same time, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said it is examining whether criminal negligence may have contributed to the deaths of the two student-athletes.
The bureau clarified that the initial finding by the Aurora Police Provincial Office of “no foul play” does not automatically rule out criminal liability.
In a separate statement, the NBI said the absence of foul play merely indicates there is no evidence of intentional harm. Investigators are now looking into whether negligence, lapses in supervision, or other circumstances may have played a role in the incident.
The NBI task force, formed upon the directive of the DOJ, is conducting an independent investigation and reviewing all possible angles before determining whether charges may be recommended.
Baterbonia, an Ateneo basketball prospect, and Adili, a member of the Blue Eagles squad in the recent UAAP season, drowned during a team-building activity in Dipaculao, Aurora.
What began as an apparent drowning accident has now become the subject of parallel investigations by the CIDG and NBI, with authorities seeking to determine whether accountability extends beyond the tragedy itself and into possible violations of law or failures in safety protocols.
