No hazing or initiation in ADMU’s training camp in Dipaculao, Aurora

THERE was no hazing or any initiation rites that took place in Ateneo de Manila University’s (ADMU) camp in Dipaculao, Aurora that led to the tragic drowning of Rene Clert Baterbonia and Divine Adili.

That’s the claim of third-year Blue Eagle Sam Reyes, shooting down rumors and allegations that Ateneo newbies, including Messrs. Baterbonia and Adili, underwent welcome rites that contributed to their drowning.

Mr. Reyes said that loading and unloading of luggages from the bus to the resort, table and food preparation for their breakfast, lunch and dinner, and dishwashing after were the only rookie duties that happened in Aurora.

“‘Yun na po ‘yung pinaka-ginawa sa mga bago,” said Mr. Reyes on Let’s Talk with Pia Hontiveros podcast by The Pod Network, who also appeared before the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) with Kieffer Alas on Wednesday.

“No po. The only thing I felt like as a team was us getting closer po,” added Mr. Alas.

The Blue Eagles also denied that there were ankle weights put on them by Ateneo coaches during the camp in an open sea, clearing that the photo of now resigned head coach Tab Baldwin with a black device circulating on social media was a remote control of the drone they used to locate the missing players for rescue.

Like Mr. Alas, Mr. Baterbonia was a rookie while Mr. Adili was a sophomore but a first-timer in Aurora camp that has been the tradition every year of Mr. Baldwin’s mantra or “Blue Eagles, Band of Brothers” in preparation for UAAP battle.

They were among a group that was carried away the farthest from the shores after a series of waves hit them during the activity on shallow waters at first.

The Blue Eagles and first responders first rescued Mr. Baterbonia followed by Mr. Adili but they were already missing at least 30 minutes, as per Mr. Reyes and Mr. Alas. Mr. Adili even had a pulse when rescued while Mr. Baterbonia was undergoing CPR but was interrupted upon their transport to the Aurora Memorial Hospital, where they were declared dead on arrival by doctors.

In Ateneo’s first statement, the incident was deemed as a “team building” before admitting during Monday’s press conference that it has been a staple camp by the Blue Eagles under Mr. Baldwin, who himself recalled that the tragedy happened during their “routine training run” before a series of massive waves broke them to different groups.

Even former Blue Eagles have labeled the camp as “military-like,” “hell week” and “deadly training,” much to an extent they don’t want to return to Aurora even for a vacation after their collegiate days as now pro players.

According to the staff of the Hermanos Leisure and Farm Resort in Barangay Lipit, Ateneo also held its activity 300 meters away from their resort and “asked to be left alone.”

This series of claims from multiple personalities have led to speculations on the presence of foul play either through hazing or welcome rites ala-fraternity for neophytes.

The authorities led by the NBI and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group are already studying that angle, including homicide, albeit the probes are still ongoing.

For the Blue Eagles though, they have just lost two of their brothers and it’s unfair for others to blame it on them, much worse turn it into a Blue Eagle vs. Blue Eagle war.

“It’s like going through two deaths po. The first one is losing your teammates and now being criticized for their deaths. We lost them and we witnessed it happen. And then, every social media person or anybody, they’re just putting the blame on us. It’s hard to put into words but this is what we’ve been feeling this past week,” said Mr. Alas, admitting that some of them have received death threats.

“I feel guilt lang po kasi Rene was beside me and I felt I could have done more para di sya malunod. It’s eating me alive. It was killing us kasi we were there and we lost two of our brothers. Sobrang sakit po na parang nabuhay nga po kami pero parang pinapatay po kami,” added Mr. Reyes.

Whether it’s an accident or not, the tragedy however could have been prevented according to the players with necessary life preservers.

As per the account of Messrs. Reyes and Alas, only three life buoys, three volleyballs and one surfboard were available during their camp with no life vests, speed or motor boats as Ateneo coaches tested and said the water was only shallow. — John Bryan Ulanday