Ateneo players Kieffer Alas and Sam Reyes bared their own accounts of their tragic team-building activity in Aurora that claimed the lives of teammates Rene Baterbonia and Divine Adili, revealing the terrifying moments when they themselves nearly drowned.
The two collegiate athletes spoke candidly about the incident during an appearance on journalist Pia Hontiveros’ podcast, where they detailed the events leading up to the tragedy that occurred during their team-building camp in Dipaculao, Aurora last June 8.
The incident has drawn widespread attention and scrutiny after Baterbonia and Adili drowned during a water-based activity organized as part of the camp’s routine. In the aftermath, veteran coach Tab Baldwin resigned from his post as head coach of the Ateneo men’s basketball team.
Alas said players were warned about the dangers of rip currents days before the trip and were given instructions on how to respond if caught in one.
“We had meetings before the Aurora training that Coach Tab explained about the rip currents, and how to get out of a rip,” Alas recalled. “We talked about it a couple of days before. We had a pretty long discussion about it.”
He added that the team was also cautioned about uneven sand formations beneath the water that could suddenly cause swimmers to lose footing.
“They warned us about ‘yung parang uneven na sand. Like, you can randomly go back down and up,” Alas informed.
Both Sam and Kieffer said they looked forward to the camp after being told it would focus on close-knit bonding among teammates and a mental toughness program rather than basketball training.
“Coach Tab was, like, saying that the team building was for us to get closer and to build that mental toughness po talaga. To get us closer, like brotherhood. He tried to incorporate our BEBOB, ‘Blue Eagle Band of Brothers’ talaga,” the two shared.
The pair also addressed speculation circulating online that the activity served as a form of initiation for incoming players and rookies.
“No po. It just hurts how people, you know, perceive it that way. Like, I know my veterans wouldn’t even think of that”, Kiefer denied and lamented the hearsay. “They wouldn’t do that to me or any of the other rookies. So it’s just hard to, you know, see it online.”
They went on to share their own accounts of events that led to the tragedy, which began when assistant coach Dean Castaño led players into a water-based exercise where they were instructed to line up in thigh-deep water for a walking routine.
Coaches monitored the session from the shoreline as players who could swim stayed farther from shore in water estimated to be knee to waist-deep, while non-swimmers remained closer to land.
The young athletes initially enjoyed the activity and proceeded without issue before conditions suddenly worsened when waves they described as “bigger than them” pulled them away from the shore and dragged them to deeper parts of the ocean, turning the exercise into a life-threatening situation.
“Nung second wave po doon na po talaga namin na-realize na something was wrong,” Sam said.
“Third wave po, that’s when everyone started screaming na po ’cause we couldn’t reach the water po,” added Kiefer.
“I think that’s when it all started na. Na parang all of us were panicking na po, and we didn’t know what to do. Kumbaga po, parang nag-scatter po kami in the water. It’s like, ah, cluster, cluster po yung kasama,” they recounted.
As the two of them managed to return to the safety of the shore, it was their teammates struggling to regain surface that prompted them to swim back to the water to help them.
At the time, both of them didn’t see Baterbonia while Kiefer saw Adili as they were grouped together with Jay-M Leal and EJ Kapihe who knew how to swim.
Reyes said he attempted to assist Malcolm Tyler in keeping teammate Ian Espinosa afloat, whom they both knew didn’t know how to swim. However, as the waves continued to push them into deeper waters, he began inhaling large amounts of seawater and feared he would not survive.
The Ateneo guard described experiencing a moment of panic in which his life seemed to flash before his eyes before deciding to continue fighting.
“Parang nagpa-panic na din po ako nun […] Nag-iisip na po ako na kung ‘di po ako umalis dito, mamatay na din po ako kasi po ang dami na din po akong nainom na tubig,” Reyes recalled his moment of panic.
He began screaming for help, eventually catching the attention of coaches Dean Castaño and Jeric Rueca, who instructed him to float on his back. Though initially hesitant, Reyes followed the advice and slowly regained control, eventually making his way back toward shore before being assisted by Alas.
Kieffer also recounted his own near-death experience while being assisted by teammate EJ Kapihe. According to Alas, Kapihe attempted to support him, Adili and Jay-M Leal as waves repeatedly pulled them farther out. When the group became separated, Alas found himself submerged underwater for what he estimated was more than 20 seconds.
“I was like underwater more… I’d guess more than 20 seconds. Parang nag-give up na po ako nun. Nag-give up na po talaga ako,” he recalled. “I was gonna accept na mawala na po ako.”
Moments later, however, he felt his feet touch the sand beneath him. “After more seconds went by, I felt my feet touch the sand. It was like there was a glimpse of hope talaga. So I jumped po and gasped for air,” he said.
Unable to swim, Alas relied on instructions shouted by teammates, including advice to float on his back and alternate between floating and paddling whenever waves subsided.
After spotting Reyes, the two reunited in the water and paddled together back toward shore.
The two athletes also pushed back claims that emergency responders immediately handled the rescue efforts, asserting that it was members of the Ateneo Blue Eagles who first brought Baterbonia out of the water.
According to Reyes, the players themselves carried Baterbonia to shore while bystanders allegedly stood by and watched the situation unfold.
“When we saw Rene, it was us who carried him out of the water, not the first responders,” Reyes said. “Wala pong tumulong. They were just spectating. They were just watching us.”
Alas shared similar observations, recalling that amid the chaos, he noticed an individual recording the incident on a mobile phone while players and coaching staff were desperately trying to assist their teammates.
“One guy had his phone out,” Alas said. “We were overwhelmed. But I saw it with my eyes that he was just filming.”
Alas also clarified that resuscitation efforts began as soon as Baterbonia was brought to shore. He said team physical therapist Jerick Rueca immediately performed CPR before personnel from the Aurora Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office arrived and took over the emergency response.
The tragedy continues to be the subject of investigations as Ateneo and authorities seek to determine the circumstances surrounding the deaths of Baterbonia and Adili.
