The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) stated on Monday, June 15, 2026, that it is not ruling out negligence in the drowning deaths of Ateneo de Manila University student-athletes Rene Baterbonia and Divine Adili. CIDG Director Maj. Gen. Robert Morico raised concerns about due diligence, noting the high waves and past incidents at the location. He questioned why basketball players, not swimmers, were subjected to such conditions.
Coach Baldwin Resigns
Ateneo president Fr. Roberto Yap, SJ, confirmed the resignation of coach Tab Baldwin and team manager Epok Quimpo on June 15. The CIDG also requested an Immigration Lookout Bulletin Order against coaches who ignored subpoenas. Baldwin was absent from the CIDG's fact-finding exercise.
Allegations Surface
Baldwin's estranged wife, Efi Kalogirou, publicly claimed she had warned Ateneo about concerns involving her husband and the basketball program years ago. The CIDG is pursuing this lead, emphasizing that allegations should be investigated fairly, not dismissed or used to condemn without evidence.
The incident has sparked broader questions about institutional accountability. The article argues that institutions often ignore warnings due to the stature of individuals involved, but true credibility comes from protecting principles, not personalities. Universities have a profound duty of care for student safety, extending to all activities under their name.
Fairness demands that both the accuser and the accused be treated justly, but institutional accountability must not be avoided. The deaths of Baterbonia and Adili deserve a sincere search for truth, transparent acknowledgment of mistakes, and honest accounting of facts. As the article states, "A great institution is not measured by how fiercely it defends its heroes, but by how courageously it examines itself."
