A lawmaker is seeking a congressional inquiry into the drowning deaths of two Ateneo student-athletes during a team-building activity in Aurora.
Pinoy Workers Party-list Rep. Karl Hernandez Legaspi said he would file a resolution calling for a legislative investigation into the incident that claimed the lives of Divine Adili and Rene Clert Baterbonia.
The lawmaker extended his condolences to the families, friends, teammates, and the Ateneo community, saying the tragedy underscored the need to review safety protocols for student-athletes during school-sanctioned activities.
He said the incident, which involved one of the country’s most respected educational institutions, raised the need to examine whether adequate safeguards are in place for student-athletes nationwide.
“This tragedy reminds us that while sports cultivate discipline, resilience, and excellence, institutions entrusted with the development of young athletes must likewise be held to the highest standards of safety, care, and accountability,” he said.
As vice chairperson of the House Committee on Youth and Sports Development and a former commissioner-at-large of the National Youth Commission, Legaspi said the protection and welfare of young Filipinos remain central to his advocacy.
He said the planned inquiry would not only look into the circumstances surrounding the deaths of Adili and Baterbonia but also seek reforms to prevent similar incidents.
“These young athletes had promising futures ahead of them. Beyond their talents on the court, they were sons, students, teammates, and individuals whose lives were filled with potential,” the solon said.
“Their untimely passing is a heartbreaking loss not only to their families and school, but also to Philippine sports,” he added.
Legaspi said Congress must use the inquiry to determine whether stronger safety standards, supervision rules, and emergency protocols are needed for off-campus activities involving student-athletes.
“We owe it to Divine and Rene, and to every young Filipino athlete, to learn from this loss and pursue meaningful reforms,” he said.