Two senators are seeking a Senate investigation into the deaths of two Ateneo de Manila University basketball players during a team-building activity in Dipaculao, Aurora on Monday.
Senators Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino and Robin Padilla filed separate resolutions calling on the appropriate Senate committee to conduct an inquiry, in aid of legislation, into the deaths of Rene Clert Baterbonia and Divine Adili.
The proposed investigation aims to strengthen student safety rules, accountability mechanisms, transparency requirements, and safeguards covering off-campus school activities and sports programs.
Aquino said the incident showed the need to review existing policies governing student activities, particularly the reporting of serious incidents, oversight mechanisms, enforcement of safety requirements, and the responsibilities of schools, organizers, facilitators, and service providers.
He stressed that educational institutions have a duty to uphold the highest standards of protection for students participating in activities conducted under their authority.
“The deaths of Rene Clert Baterbonia and Divine Adili demand a careful and impartial examination of the circumstances that led to the incident, not only to ensure accountability where warranted, but above all to draw lessons that may help prevent the loss of young lives in the future and to provide their families and the public with a full and truthful account of what transpired,” he said.
Aquino, an Ateneo alumnus, filed his resolution after visiting the wake of the two players at Arlington Memorial Chapels on Thursday.
Padilla, who visited the wake on Wednesday night, said the inquiry should not be viewed as an effort to assign blame prematurely, but as a necessary step to establish the facts and identify possible reforms.
He said the investigation could help determine gaps in existing policies and lead to stronger safeguards for Filipino students joining school-sanctioned activities.