THE Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) is set to file complaints related to the drowning deaths of student-athletes Rene Baterbonia and Divine Adili during a team building activity in Dipaculao, Aurora, Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla said Wednesday, June 24, 2026.
In an interview with reporters in Camp Crame, Remulla said the CIDG’s investigation on the incident is almost complete, with the filing of criminal complaints being eyed by Friday, June 26.
“Halos tapos na ang imbestigasyon namin. Medyo conclusive na. Sa Biyernes isasubmit na namin sa DOJ (Department of Justice) for filing ng kaso. Hintayin niyo na lang sa Biyernes ang aming huling pagsusuri at maipapaliwanag namin sa inyo kung ano ang nakita namin sa imbestigasyon na ito,” he said.
(Our investigation is almost complete. It is already fairly conclusive. On Friday, we will submit it to the DOJ (Department of Justice) for the filing of charges. Just wait until Friday for our final assessment, and we will explain to you what we discovered during the course of this investigation.)
“This investigation has been going on for the last two weeks. We interviewed almost a hundred people. Siguro 1,200 na pahina ng testimonya galing sa mga nandudoon at halos kumpleto na kami. Conclusive na at very confident sa case buildup na ang CIDG at makikita niyo,” he added.
(There are probably around 1,200 pages of testimonies from those who were there, and we are almost complete. The findings are already conclusive, and the CIDG is very confident in the case buildup. You will see that for yourselves.)
The CIDG has interviewed current and former Ateneo players, coaches, and training staff who participated in or were involved in what investigators described as “boot camp” where the tragedy occurred on June 8.
Remulla said Ateneo de Manila University President Fr. Roberto “Bobby” Yap and Vice President for Administration Fr. Nemesio Que and business tycoon Manny Pangilinan, chairman and trustee of the MVP Sports Foundation, are also expected to face the CIDG for interview before the submission of the report to the DOJ.
Earlier, CIDG Director Major General Robert Alexander Morico II said the death of the two neophyte players of the Ateneo Blue Eagles was not an accident and that their investigation is leading to possible homicide or hazing cases.
He pointed out that the organizers of the activity are well aware of the sea conditions in the area, which are not suitable especially for non-swimmers.
Morico also pointed out that the training was conducted away from the prying eyes when it could only be done in front of the hotel where the players were staying.
He said the Ateneo Blue Eagles’ program planning and funding were being handled by the MVP Sports Foundation, which was vehemently denied by the foundation, saying their role is limited to financial support.
On June 23, the CIDG, together with the Forensic Group (FG), Aurora Police Provincial Office, Police Regional Office 3 and Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO), conducted the Crime Scene Reconstruction in connection with the drowning incident.
The key objective of the reconstruction is to determine the exact seawater situation at the time of the incident, calculate the distance between dry beach surfaces and the water line to assess high tide conditions, establish where the victims were situated and last seen by cross-referencing CCTV footage with testimonies from players, coaches, and witnesses and measure how far out the victims were and the exact depth of the water at that point.
The investigating team deployed and utilized Sonar (Sound Navigation and Ranging) to map underwater topography and depth, and 3D scanner to capture highly accurate spatial data of the shoreline and scene.
Additionally, investigators also conducted a thorough safety audit to validate the presence of warning signage and required emergency safety measures along the beachfront area. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)