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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Ateneo de Manila University head coach Tab Baldwin admitted Friday evening that he had failed as a leader, coach, and friend to deceased Blue Eagles players Rene Baterbonia and Divine Adili, who both passed away during a team-building activity in Dipaculao, Aurora last Monday.

The address marked Baldwin’s first public statement in over four days since the passing of Baterbonia and Adili on June 8, a delay that ultimately prompted Philippine Sports Commission chairman Pato Gregorio to publicly urge the American-Kiwi coach to speak out.

“At that moment, I felt that I had failed. I failed as a leader. I felt I had failed as a coach. I certainly felt like I had failed as a friend to Divine and Rene. And when later I faced the team to try to be a leader in that moment, I felt that I failed them, too,” Baldwin said.

Baldwin explained that what began as a routine conditioning exercise turned fatal, as players were sent out for what they believed was a simple training run in shallow water.

However, the situation took a turn for the worse when Baldwin and his coaching staff realized the athletes were already caught in deeper, dangerous currents.

“On that fateful day when we sent the players out for a routine training run and what we thought was shallow water, up to the moment when we realized that whatever had happened, they were in dangerous water,” Baldwin said.

“And we did everything that we could as coaches, as people responsible for that situation. The players themselves did everything they could to ensure that everybody arrived back on shore safely. And then we realized that we hadn’t accomplished that,” he added.

Baldwin also spoke at length about the weight of his responsibility to the families of Baterbonia and Adili, acknowledging that while he grieved as a mentor and friend, the depth of the families’ loss far surpassed his own.

Both families have expressed disappointment over how Ateneo, particularly Baldwin, has handled the situation.

Rovelyn Baterbonia, Rene’s mother, said Baldwin has yet to reach out to her and that she is not yet ready to face him, with the family’s legal team — led by Jimmy Bondoc and Israelito Torreon — separately seeking an immigration lookout bulletin order against Baldwin from the Department of Justice.

On the other hand, Divine Adili’s father, Elias Adili, said yesterday that their family is still searching for answers regarding the circumstances surrounding his son’s death, with the family requesting an autopsy before his remains are repatriated to Nigeria.

“We are carrying immense sorrow. We’re carrying immense grief. We’re carrying immense remorse. But I’ve known since the moment that I was told that our boys had passed away that no matter the magnitude of our grief, there were two families that experienced a loss that was so much greater than ours and a loss that would stay with them in the most acute way for the remainder of their lives,” Baldwin said.

“Never again would Rene’s mother and father and family, never again would Divine’s family be able to talk to their son or touch their son,” he went on.

Baldwin also said his deepest regret lies in the fact that he will never again be able to help Baterbonia and Adili develop into the basketball players and young men they were capable of becoming.

Baterbonia, an 18-year-old forward from Talacogon, Agusan del Sur, was one of the top prospects of his class, leading the Davao Region to the 2025 Palarong Pambansa championship where he was named MVP.

Meanwhile, Adili, a 6-foot-10 center from Nigeria, was poised for a breakout campaign in Season 89 after contributing 7.5 points and 8.17 rebounds in an injury-derailed Season 88 campaign.

(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team

“Yes, as a coach, I lost my boys, too. Never again would I be able to help them develop into the basketball players they wanted to be, to help them grow into the young men that they promised they could be. But that’s insignificant compared to what your families are experiencing,” Baldwin said.

“As a coach, we are entrusted with the growth of our basketball players, the development of these young men into future professionals. But mostly, as a coach, I’m entrusted by you, the parents and the families, with first and foremost, their well-being. And in this, I feel I’ve failed. And I’m sorry. To the depth of my being, I’m sorry,” he added.

Baldwin closed his eight-minute video by extending his apology beyond the two families, addressing everyone who felt let down or betrayed in the wake of the tragedy.

He also called for unity and healing, urging the Blue Eagles community and the nation to move forward together rooted in faith.

“So as we all try to move forward without Divine and Rene, I hope that in binding together as a community, as a basketball team, and as a nation, that we lean on the one place that will never let us down, and that is our Lord. I’m so deeply sorry. And I’m so deeply sorry to not just the families, but everybody that feels let down, somehow betrayed,” Baldwin said.

“And I pray that we all find some pathway forward to come back to hope for the future, love for one another, and forgiveness for those of us who failed and tried so desperately hard to reach a better outcome. I wish peace for everybody. I wish comfort for everybody who is hurting. And I pray that we will all find that. God bless you all. And we are trying. Thank you.”

As of writing, the Department of Labor and Employment, the Department of the Interior and Local Government, the National Bureau of Investigation, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group under the Philippine National Police, and the Department of Justice are leading investigations into the tragedy that claimed the lives of Baterbonia and Adili.

The post Baldwin expresses deep apology, grief after tragic passing of Adili, Baterbonia appeared first on Tiebreaker Times.

Faculty members of the Ateneo de Manila University have called on university leadership to provide greater transparency, accountability, and compassion in the wake of the deaths of student-athletes Rene Baterbonia and Divine Adili, urging clearer answers on the circumstances surrounding a team-building activity last Monday in Aurora, Quezon that turned tragic.

In an open letter addressed to Ateneo president Fr. Bobby Yap, SJ, concerned educators from the school expressed grief over the incident. They also raised a series of urgent questions on safety protocols, institutional responsibility, and the university’s response to the families and wider community.

“We are with you and the Ateneo community in grieving and praying over the tragic deaths of our students Rene Clert ‘Bobet’ Baterbonia and Chukwuemeka Divine Adili,” the letter read.

While acknowledging the university’s recent statement, the faculty said several issues remain unresolved, particularly regarding due process, risk management, and communication protocols during the off-campus activity where the incident occurred.

Among the concerns raised were whether proper safety measures were in place to prevent drowning risks, whether parents and guardians were informed about the nature of the activity, and why university officials did not directly address the community sooner.

(C) FIloil

The educators also sought clarification on the status of coaching staff and team officials, including whether the leaves of absence taken by head coach Tab Baldwin and team manager Epok Quimpo should be considered preventive measures aligned with standard procedures during ongoing investigations.

They further questioned the scope and independence of the investigation being conducted by the university, as well as the concrete accountability mechanisms being implemented to prevent similar incidents in the future.

“Clarity around facts is critical in truth-seeking and sense-making,” the letter stated, adding that transparency is also a demand of the bereaved families.

The faculty also appealed for more personal and compassionate communication from university leaders and coaching staff, noting that official statements released through social media were seen as insufficient in conveying empathy and accountability.

“The nameless, faceless, and sterile official social media posts have downplayed the gravity of the situation.”

The university’s communications efforts are overseen by Matec Villanueva, director of marketing and communications at Ateneo,

As the investigation continues, the group emphasized that the lives of Baterbonia and Adili must not be reduced to statistics but instead serve as a call for institutional reform.

“The lives of Rene and Divine matter,” the letter stated.

“We may never fully recover from this tragedy, but we can make their deaths count by providing meaningful and tangible support to the families they left behind and by embracing the painful lessons of this tragedy with collective humility, resolve and compassion.”

The statement concluded their appeal by inviting fellow educators to express support and solidarity with the bereaved families through a collective statement of concern and accountability.

Ateneo faculty could sign here: bit.ly/ADMUEducatorsForReneAndDivine.

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