Tab Baldwin at Epok Quimpo, nag-resign sa gitna ng imbestigasyon sa Ateneo drowning case

• Ateneo Blue Eagles Head Coach Tab Baldwin and Team Manager Epok Quimpo have officially stepped down from their respective positions
• Ateneo de Manila University President Fr. Roberto Yap confirmed that the school accepted the resignations on Monday, June 15, 2026
• The resignation comes in the wake of an ongoing government investigation into the tragic drowning of two student-athletes
• Coach Tab's resignation takes effect immediately as the community seeks accountability and closure regarding the issue

Ateneo Blue Eagles Head Coach Tab Baldwin and Team Manager Epok Quimpo have officially resigned from their posts. This was recently confirmed during a press conference on Monday, June 15, 2026, by Ateneo President Fr. Roberto Yap, SJ, who announced that the university has accepted their decisions to step down.

The double resignation takes place during a highly tense period for the university as the move comes as the government and independent authorities carry out a full investigation into the deaths of two student-athletes.

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It is worth recalling that the victims were 19-year-old rookie Rene Baterbonia and 21-year-old center Divine Adili. The two players tragically lost their lives during a team-building and conditioning trip in Dipaculao, Aurora, on June 8, 2026, when they were swept away by powerful ocean currents according to initial reports.

Just days prior to the resignation, former Ateneo center Chibueze Ikeh had publicly pleaded for Coach Tab to speak up about what happened during the trip to give everyone, especially the grieving families, closure.

During the quick interview, Ikeh mentioned that he underwent the same training but that they didn't swim.

"It's just a regular training. It's just a training that helps us, plus with our conditioning, stamina, whatever we want to build... to build the team together," he recalled to the media.

While the university had initially expressed its commitment to supporting the victims' loved ones, the sudden departure of the team's top officials marks a dramatic turn in the quest for accountability.

Previously, both the parents of Adili and Baterbonia rejected the apology of Coach Tab who talked about what had happened in a pre-recorded video that was released and posted by Ateneo online.

"On that fateful day when we sent the players out for a routine training run in what we thought was shallow water, up to the moment when we realized that whatever had happened, they were in dangerous water, we did everything that we could as coaches," he claimed.

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As previously reported by KAMI, former Ateneo athlete Gretchen Ho said the deaths of Rene Baterbonia and Divine Adili hit very close to home. The broadcaster expressed grief over the tragedy while calling for facts and accountability to emerge through the ongoing investigation. Ho said silence could fuel speculation and false narratives as the public seeks answers about what happened. She also voiced confidence that Ateneo and the investigating bodies will do what is right in addressing the incident.

Meanwhile, other athletes, celebrities, and basketball fans mourned the passing of two Ateneo players. The tragedy reportedly happened during a team-building activity in Dipaculao, Aurora which has since been investigated. Authorities said there was no indication of foul play in the incident. Ateneo de Manila University expressed grief and asked for prayers and privacy for the families affected.

Source: KAMI.com.gh