Blame it on the waves?

Trixelle Mae Bumatay

Some tragedies are called accidents because no one could have seen them coming.

A tire suddenly bursts. A tree falls during a storm. A bolt of lightning strikes without warning.

But what do we call a tragedy when warning signs already existed? What do we call it when questions of safety, supervision, and emergency response continue to surface long after two young lives have been lost?

The deaths of Ateneo Blue Eagles players Rene Baterbonia and Divine Adili should not be dismissed as mere accidents. At its core, this tragedy is not only about strong currents or dangerous waters. It is about responsibility. And when responsibility enters the conversation, accountability must follow.

The tragedy also happened under the care of Ateneo de Manila University, one of the country’s Big Four universities. Institutions like Ateneo are trusted not only to educate and develop young people, but also to protect them. Parents entrust schools with their children’s futures, believing that their safety and well-being are part of that responsibility. 

As reported by ESPN Philippines, the tragedy occurred on June 8 during a team-building activity at Hermanos Leisure Farm and Surf Camp in Dipaculao, Aurora. Members of the Ateneo Blue Eagles were participating in an exercise near the beachfront when several players drifted farther from shore and were caught by strong currents. Rescue efforts were launched by teammates and resort lifeguards, while authorities responded to a distress call. Baterbonia and Adili were rushed to the hospital but were declared dead on arrival. 

Ateneo later released a statement mourning the loss of the two student-athletes and extending support to their families, teammates, and members of the university community. The university also asked the public to respect the privacy of those grieving.

Beside that, members of the team during a town hall at Ateneo shared that the day had begun normally. Players woke up before 5 a.m. for beach running drills, prepared breakfast together, played games, and spent time bonding as teammates after their phones had been confiscated. Some players described the atmosphere as light and enjoyable. Nothing appeared unusual. Yet within hours, two young athletes would lose their lives.

Initially, the Philippine National Police described the incident as a “purely accidental” drowning caused by strong currents. However, as more information emerged, that explanation began to face scrutiny.

Moreover, ABS-CBN News emphasized that the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) maintained that the deaths were not an accident. CIDG director PMGen. Robert Morico II revealed that testimonies from teammates were consistent with initial findings that players were approximately 700 meters away from the resort and were aware of the strong currents. Investigators also questioned why athletes were instructed to perform exercises such as walking and stationary jogging in the water, considering the conditions of the area and the presence of strong currents. 

Meanwhile, Inquirer.net reported that investigators are now looking into possible homicide or hazing cases. CIDG officials said they are examining allegations involving forced physical activities, exposure to weather conditions, and other circumstances surrounding the training. The family of Rene Baterbonia has also requested an autopsy. 

This is where the narrative changes.

Strong currents may have caused the drowning, but they did not make the decisions that placed the players there. The sea did not choose the training site. The waves did not instruct athletes to perform exercises in the water. The currents did not determine how risks would be assessed or what safety measures would be implemented.

Human decisions did.

Someone approved the exercise. Someone determined that the water conditions were acceptable or not. Someone assessed the risks. Someone decided what emergency preparations were necessary. Someone concluded that the activity could proceed safely despite the conditions.  

These decisions — not the waves —  that investigators are now trying to understand. 

This is why calling the tragedy an “accident” feels incomplete. An accident suggests something unavoidable. Yet the questions being raised by investigators point toward something else: whether this tragedy could have been prevented.

Furthermore, the concerns do not stop there. Reports cited by OneNews PH have raised additional questions regarding the emergency response. These reports allege that no medical team was present at the site, that CPR was performed by a PE teacher only after one of the victims had already become unconscious, and that students who attempted to seek outside help were allegedly prevented from leaving by security personnel. 

These allegations remain subject to investigation, and due process must be respected. However, if proven true, they would raise serious concerns about preparedness, supervision, and crisis management.

What’s more is that the discrepancies themselves deserve attention. The police initially called the incident accidental. The CIDG later disagreed. The family requested an autopsy. Investigators are now considering possible criminal liability. These developments suggest that important questions remain unanswered.

That is why accountability matters.

The tragedy occured on June 8. Ateneo immediately released a statement expressing grief, while government agencies began examining the circumstances surrounding the accident. Four days later, head coach Tab Baldwin quickly addressed the tragedy.

In his statement, Baldwin admitted feeling that he had failed as a coach and apologized “to the depth of my being.” His grief appeared genuine, and no one should underestimate the emotional weight of such a loss.

Yet grief and accountability are not the same thing.

The delay itself raises difficult questions. Was Baldwin advised to remain silent while investigations continued? Did legal concerns influence the response? Was the university managing public communication behind the scenes? The public may never know. 

Nevertheless, the issue goes beyond one coach. 

In moments of crisis, institutions often respond through official statements, legal teams, and carefully managed communication. While these processes may protect institutions, they can also leave grieving families waiting for answers. The families of Rene and Divine were not waiting for public relations strategies. They were waiting for accountability. 

In moments of crisis, leadership is not measured only by apologies. It is measured by transparency, urgency, and a willingness to confront difficult questions. The families of Rene and Divine deserved answers from the very beginning, not only condolences after public pressure intensified. 

Even so, some may argue that tragedies can occur despite precautions. They may point out that lifeguards were present, that rescue efforts were immediately launched, and that Ateneo teams had reportedly conducted similar activities at the same location since 2017. These are important facts that deserve consideration. 

However, the fact that something has been done before does not automatically make it safe. A dangerous decision does not become safe simply because it has not yet ended in disaster. Safety is not measured by how often something succeeds. It is measured by how effectively risks are identified and prevented before lives are placed in danger.

What makes this tragedy particularly heartbreaking is who was lost.

Rene Baterbonia was not just another athlete. He was one of the country’s brightest young basketball prospects, a Palarong Pambansa Most Valuable Player whose future seemed limitless. And, Divine Adili had traveled far from home, carrying dreams of success and contributing to Ateneo’s rebuilding program.

Both young men had families waiting for them. 

Both had futures still ahead of them.

Now, those futures are gone.

Their deaths should serve as a wake-up call not only for Ateneo but for every school, university, and sports program in the country. Team-building activities and conditioning exercises must undergo stricter risk assessments. Qualified medical personnel should be present during high-risk activities. Emergency response plans must be clearly established before any activity begins. Most importantly, institutions must understand that accountability does not begin after tragedy strikes — it begins long before it happens

If investigators eventually find negligence, misconduct, or violations of the law, then accountability should not end with public apologies or institutional statements. Legal consequences, if warranted by the evidence, must also follow. Justice for Rene Baterbonia and Divine Adili cannot depend solely on remembrance; it must also depend on whether those responsible are held accountable.

Because at the end of the day, Rene Baterbonia and Divine Adili did not simply lose their lives to strong currents. Their deaths exposed difficult questions about leadership, safety, and responsibility that cannot be washed away by the tide.

It may be easy to blame the waves. After all, waves cannot defend themselves, answer questions, or be held accountable. 

And until those questions are fully answered, this should not be remembered as a mere accident. It should be remembered as a tragedy that demands accountability — because not everything can be blamed on the waves.