Photo courtesy: Daily Tribune
THE Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) of the Philippine National Police is looking into possible charges of homicide and violations of the Anti‑Hazing Law in connection with the tragic deaths of Ateneo de Manila University student‑athletes Rene Baterbonia and Divine Adili.
The two basketball players lost their lives during a team‑building activity held in Dipaculao, Aurora, earlier this month, an incident that has raised serious questions about the nature and safety of the exercises conducted.
According to Police Major General Robert Alexander Morico II, initial findings suggest the two players were treated like neophytes subjected to dangerous and strenuous routines.
He noted that the body of water where they were made to swim was not a typical or safe swimming area and that the group was taken to a remote location roughly 300 meters away from the main resort facility. There, they were reportedly forced to perform rigorous calisthenics and physical drills under conditions that deviated from standard team‑building practices.
Morico emphasized that the activities went beyond ordinary bonding or training exercises, raising strong indications that the situation resembled an initiation rite — an act prohibited and penalized under Republic Act No. 8049 or the Anti‑Hazing Law. The combination of being taken to an isolated site, subjected to exhausting physical demands, and exposed to hazardous waters forms the basis of the investigation into whether the incident qualifies as hazing and whether criminal negligence or homicide was committed.
Still, the police official clarified that the final conclusion and recommended charges will depend heavily on the testimonies they gather from other members of the team who were present during the activity. Investigators are currently interviewing witnesses and collecting evidence to establish the exact sequence of events, identify those responsible for planning and supervising the program, and determine whether the actions taken constituted criminal liability under existing laws.
