Hundreds of Ateneo de Manila University students and alumni, together with several campus organizations, have jointly called for accountability following the deaths of student-athletes Rene Baterbonia and Divine Adili during a team-related activity in Aurora.
The appeal was made public through an open letter released by the Sanggunian ng mga Mag-aaral ng Paaralang Loyola ng Ateneo de Manila, with signatories expressing support for the bereaved families while pressing the university to address broader institutional concerns raised by the incident.
While acknowledging the university’s values and tradition, the letter also raised concern over how Ateneo initially communicated about the incident, with students describing parts of its public response as lacking compassion and sensitivity.
“Subalit ang Ateneo po na kilala namin ay nagsisikap na maging mas mabuti, humihingi ng pasensya kapag nagkakamali, at nagpapakumbaba nang may pananagutan.”
Beyond expressions of grief, the statement evolved into a broader reflection on what accountability means within a university that has long positioned itself as a champion of social responsibility and formation.
“We grew up believing that this was a place that leads the call for accountability, human rights, and justice. A place that teaches us to stand with the poor and vulnerable, to speak when it is difficult, and to act when it matters most.”
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UNIVERSITY UPDATE: Hundreds of Ateneo students and alumni joined the call for transparency, accountability and reform after the deaths of Chukwuemeka Divine Adili and Rene Clert Baterbonia, whose passing sparked grief and growing concern in the Ateneo community.
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At the center of the appeal are renewed concerns over student-athlete welfare, particularly the conditions and structures surrounding training, bonding activities, and supervision outside formal competition. The letter situates the tragedy within ongoing discussions in collegiate sports about how far athletic programs should push physical and mental limits.
“This raises broader, brutal questions on how athletes are forged into champions — of what lengths the university is willing to push them, at the expense of their safety and well-being.”
Signatories called for a more transparent and collaborative approach moving forward, urging Ateneo to strengthen safeguards for student-athletes, improve oversight of off-campus activities, and work more closely with students in shaping policies that directly affect their welfare.
They also pushed for a more comprehensive pursuit of truth, emphasizing that clarity must come alongside institutional reform rather than after it.
“Mahal namin ang Ateneo. At dahil mahal namin ito, hindi po kami mananahimik.”
The letter closed with an apology directed to the families of Baterbonia and Adili, reflecting a shared sense of loss that has extended beyond the campus community.
“Sa pamilya at mga mahal sa buhay nina Rene at Divine, kasama po ninyo kami sa paghiling na manaig ang katotohanan, katarungan, at panangutan. At bilang parte po ng Ateneo, humihingi po kami ng tawad.”
As the university continues internal reviews of its safety protocols for athletic and extracurricular programs, the situation has become a broader moment of reflection—not only on institutional accountability, but also on the responsibilities involved in shaping and protecting student-athletes within competitive collegiate systems.
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