Ateneo says team-building ‘tradition’ predates Tab Baldwin era
Rom Anzures,
ABS-CBN News
Published June 15, 2026 05:07 PM PHT
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Updated June 15, 2026 06:03 PM PHT
The Ateneo men’s basketball team in UAAP Season 88. UAAP Media
MANILA — Ateneo de Manila University president Fr. Roberto Yap, SJ, provided some background on the team-building activity that preceded the deaths of Rene Baterbonia and Divine Adili.
Baterbonia, 18, and Adili, 21, lost their lives in a drowning incident on June 8 at a resort in Dipaculao, Aurora.
READ: Ateneo’s Adili, Baterbonia pass away in drowning incident
Yap said team-building activities for the Ateneo men’s basketball team have long been a tradition, even before newly resigned head coach Tab Baldwin took over the program.
“Itong mga team-building na lumalabas sila, nangyayari na ’to sa panahon pa ni Coach Norman Black. Kay Coach Tab, panglimang bisita na ’to,” Yap said during a press conference on Monda
Before Baldwin officially took over in 2016, the Blue Eagles were handled by Norman Black and Bo Perasol.
According to Yap, the tradition was interrupted only during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Tradisyon ’to, nahinto lang nung pandemic,” he said. “May isang linggo na pumunta sila doon. Team building ang ginagawa, training, conditioning, etc.”
The latest team-building activity, however, ended in tragedy, with Baterbonia and Adili losing their lives.
But when asked about the nature of the tradition, particularly in light of accounts from former players describing the team-building sessions as intense, Yap declined to elaborate.
“Those things of concern are being looked into by the fact-finding body. Let’s give time for the fact-finding body to establish these things,” he said.
A week later, Baldwin and team manager Christopher “Epok” Quimpo resigned from their respective posts as authorities continued their probes into the incident.
