The night before Ateneo de Davao University sent off the remains of Blue Knights great Rene Baterbonia to his hometown of Agusan del Sur, the university made sure that he will never truly leave the campus.

Ateneo de Davao president Fr. Karel San Juan, SJ announced after the final mass held for Baterbonia on Sunday evening that the school will rename its court as the RBBCC — Rene Bobet Baterbonia Covered Courts.

Moreover, the school is also retiring jersey No. 2 in his honor, ensuring it will never be worn again.

(C) Ateneo de Davao

“Ugma, mag-goodbye tayo sandali dahil sabik na sabik na, excited na excited na ang Bobet Baterbonia country ng Agsur o buong probinsya ng Agusan, sabik na sabik na, ready na sila i-welcome ang kanilang hero, ang kanilang Blue Knight,” said Fr. San Juan.

“Pero, mananatiling buhay sa atin si Bobet dahil nga dito sa ating ginagawang pag-alala at pangandoy ni Bobet sa kanyang pamilya.”

This came after the university also granted full scholarships to Rene’s six siblings.

“Rene dreamed big despite having very little. He carried the pride of his family, his community, and Ateneo de Davao wherever he went. Now, generations of student-athletes will step onto that court and be reminded of his story, his sacrifices, and the dreams he chased with all his heart,” said Blue Knights coach Jess Evangelio.

A total of 3,831 people paid their respects to Rene on the first day, 8,311 on Saturday, and 11,000 on the final day.

Rene’s wake in Tagolocon, Agusan del Sur will run from Tuesday until June 24.

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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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