Navotas City Rep. Toby Tiangco has introduced a resolution in the House of Representatives to investigate the recent drownings of Ateneo men's basketball players Rene Baterbonia and Divine Adili.
The two athletes tragically lost their lives during a team-building event at a resort in Dipaculao, Aurora on Monday.
Calls for Accountability and Systemic Change
We owe it to their families and to the public to find out exactly what happened and who should be held accountable.
Toby Tiangco, Navotas City Rep.
Tiangco, an Ateneo alumnus, filed House Resolution 1112, which directs the Committee on Youth and Sports Development to conduct an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
The resolution emphasizes the need to evaluate current laws and safety protocols within collegiate athletics.
The inquiry aims to explore whether existing measures adequately protect student-athletes during training.
Tiangco further expressed that while the loss of Baterbonia and Adili is irreversible, it is crucial that their memories prompt an examination of accountability in sports.
In response to the tragedy, Vice President Sara Duterte criticized Ateneo's handling of support for the bereaved families, stating that the school has not met the expectations for such a serious incident.
This is the death of a student.
Sara Duterte, Vice President of the Philippines