Tab Baldwin and Epok Quimpo have both resigned from their posts as head coach and team manager, respectively, of the Ateneo de Manila University Men’s Basketball Team, ending the tenures of two of the program’s top officials in the wake of the deaths of student-athletes Rene Baterbonia and Divine Adili.

Ateneo president Fr. Bobby Yap, SJ, announced the development during a press conference on Monday afternoon at the university campus.

Baldwin and Quimpo had been placed on leave since Thursday, June 11, as Ateneo continues its own fact-finding inquiry into the deaths of Baterbonia and Adili, who both drowned during a team-building activity in Dipaculao, Aurora, on June 8.

(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team

Baldwin, a 68-year-old American-Kiwi tactician, had served as the Blue Eagles’ head coach since 2016. He guided Ateneo to four UAAP championships during his decade-long stint, including a historic three-peat from Seasons 80 to 82.

Prior to the start of Season 88 last year, Baldwin agreed to remain with the program after signing a three-year contract extension that would have kept him as head coach from Seasons 89 to 91.

However, his tenure in Katipunan came to an abrupt end as he now faces legal scrutiny and mounting public criticism over his alleged involvement in the circumstances surrounding the deaths of Baterbonia and Adili.

For his part, Quimpo, a member of Ateneo’s Season 65 championship team, had served as team manager since Season 77 in 2014, concluding more than 12 years of service to the program.

Earlier on Monday, neither Baldwin nor Quimpo personally appeared before the Philippine National Police–Criminal Investigation and Detection Group at Camp Crame despite being subpoenaed.

Investigations by several government agencies — including the Department of Justice, the Department of Labor and Employment, and the Department of the Interior and Local Government — remain ongoing.

Beyond the government investigations, the UAAP said in a statement on Sunday that “it is closely following all developments surrounding this tragic incident and carefully reviewing the findings of the ongoing investigations as they come.”

The Philippine Sports Commission also formed a multi-agency Sports Stakeholders’ Panel last Wednesday, composed of the PSC, the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas, the UAAP, the Commission on Higher Education, the Department of Education, and the National Youth Commission.

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The Philippine National Police–Criminal Investigation and Detection Group revealed on Monday that the Ateneo de Manila University men’s basketball program allegedly operates as an independent entity from the school’s University Athletics Office and is funded and managed by a sports patron.

This development added further context to the investigation into the deaths of Blue Eagles Rene Baterbonia and Divine Adili during a team-building activity last Monday, June 8, in Dipaculao, Aurora. It has also triggered subpoenas against Ateneo president Fr. Bobby Yap, SJ, and officials of the said sponsor.

CIDG Director Maj. Gen. Robert Morico II said the agency based part of its assessment on information relayed through the university’s athletics office.

“The Director of the University Athletics Office of Ateneo de Manila, Mr. Emmanuel Fernandez, appeared personally to answer our questions,” Morico said in a press conference at Camp Crame.

“We also learned from the university athletics office that the Ateneo basketball team is allegedly autonomous and independently run by a foundation. The program planning and funding are being handled by a foundation.”

Morico added that they will still seek further clarifications from university officials as the investigation continues.

“We will also be asking him further questions when the students appear before the CIDG,” he said, referring to Emmanuel Fernandez. “We have spoken with the lawyers of the students, and they requested that instead of tomorrow, their clients — 22 of them — will appear on Wednesday, which we have agreed to.

“We are expecting them to appear on Wednesday.”

The CIDG also said it will subpoena Ateneo president Fr. Bobby Yap, SJ, and officials of the said patron to clarify the governance structure of the program and determine accountability over the team-building activity that led to the deaths of Baterbonia and Adili.

Subpoenas were earlier issued to more than 20 individuals within the Blue Eagles camp, including coaches and players, as part of fact-finding efforts and to determine possible violations of the Anti-Hazing Act of 2018.

“We will also confirm this statement with the rector of Ateneo, the president, Father Roberto Yap. That’s why we will also be issuing subpoenas to him,” Morico added.

(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team

The filing of subpoenas against the officials of the said patron and Yap came after former head coach Tab Baldwin and team manager Epok Quimpo failed to appear at the PNP-CIDG’s scheduled fact-finding hearing at Camp Crame, despite both being served subpoenas.

Baldwin was also notably absent from a separate hearing at the Department of Labor and Employment, where Secretary Francis Tolentino directed him last week to personally present a valid and current Alien Employment Permit, proving his authorization to serve as Ateneo’s head coach and that his permit covered the full scope of his supervision, including off-campus training activities.

Instead, the American-Kiwi mentor sent his lawyer, who presented Baldwin’s Alien Certificate of Registration rather than the AEP Tolentino had specifically required.

The non-appearance came hours before Ateneo accepted the resignations of both Baldwin and Quimpo, after the university previously placed the two on leave to preserve the integrity of its own fact-finding investigation into the deaths of Baterbonia and Adili.

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There is no truth to the social media narrative circulating online suggesting friction between Kieffer Alas and the family of the late Rene Baterbonia.

This was clarified by Joevince Eusebio, Rene’s agent and, coincidentally, Kieffer’s godfather, following a viral clip showing Alas approaching Rene’s mother, Rovelyn, during the Ateneo men’s basketball team’s visit to Rene’s wake at Arlington Memorial Chapels in Quezon City last Wednesday, June 10.

The video was uploaded by the Facebook page Mirayah, which is run by Baterbonia’s aunt, on Wednesday evening.

“Walang [katotohanan] yung mga issues na linalagay sa social media. Doon lang tayo sa kung yung totoo at sa alam ng family ni Rene Baterbonia,” Eusebio said during a press briefing held at the Ateneo de Davao University Bangkal Campus on Friday afternoon.

In his explanation, Eusebio said he personally introduced Alas—his godson—to Rovelyn during the Blue Eagles’ visit. What followed, he said, was a heartfelt exchange centered on a missed opportunity involving Rene.

Alas had earlier requested Eusebio, who also handles Phenom-New Zealand Creamery/Bluefire managed by Anthony Brodett, to have Baterbonia as his teammate in Phenom for the 2026 NBTC National Finals last March.

“Si Kieffer was there, pag-approach ni Kieffer sa mom, nagkwento sila. Pumasok ako doon kasi Kieffer is my inaanak, and I introduced him to the mother of Rene, I said: ‘Mommy, ito po si Kieffer Alas. Inaanak ko po siya.’ And when we played for NBTC in Manila, isa lang ang request na teammate ni Kieffer Alas — si Rene Baterbonia,” Eusebio explained.

“It was Kieffer’s request na makasama si Rene sa NBTC. That was a conversation down nung humarap kami sa mama ni Rene. Kaya lang, may mga ibang stories na lumalabas sa social media.”

However, Baterbonia ended up suiting up for Off-Campus Residences x Toyomoto – Ateneo de Davao in the NBTC after the 2025 Palarong Pambansa MVP helped his squad secure the last two regional wildcard spots in the NBTC Mindanao Regional Championship, preventing the two from ever playing on the same team.

The closest they came to sharing the court was during the All-Star Game of the 2026 NBTC National Finals, where Alas suited up for Team Heart and Baterbonia played for Team Hustle.

The two were widely regarded as cornerstones of Ateneo’s future in the highly competitive UAAP men’s basketball landscape, a trajectory cut short after Baterbonia, along with Nigerian teammate Divine Adili, died in a drowning incident last Monday during a team-building activity in Dipaculao, Aurora.

“Kaya lang, ang team ni Coach Jess ay nakapasok sa Mindanao Finals, kaya wala kaming chance na makalaro si Rene. That’s the story,” Eusebio stressed.

“Walang [katotohanan] yung mga issues na linalagay sa social media.”

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