Kieffer Alas at Sam Reyes ng Ateneo Blue Eagles, nagsalita na tungkol sa trahedya sa Aurora

• Ateneo Blue Eagles players Kieffer Alas and Sam Reyes have chosen to speak up about the painful training camp incident in Dipaculao, Aurora
• The heartbreaking tragedy on June 8 led to the loss of Rene Baterbonia and Divine Adili
• The two players recalled how quickly a standard swim turned into a dangerous situation due to sudden, strong ocean waves that took overtook them
• Journalist Pia Hontiveros noted that during a crisis of this size, it is vital for people to face the public, take responsibility, and explain what happened

Ateneo de Manila University basketball players are finally opening up about a terrifying event that shocked the community. In a new episode of Let’s Talk with Pia Hontiveros, Kieffer Alas and Sam Reyes sat down to share their firsthand experience of the heartbreaking incident that took place during their team-building trip.

As posted in Pia's official Instagram page, a snippet of the emotional interview details the exact moments the team realized they were in deep danger while out in the water, which led to a huge panic amongst them.

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Sam explained how things shifted in an instant during what they thought was a normal day on the coast.

"Nung first wave po talaga kasi, we were riding the wave and we didn't realize na hinahatak na po kami. Nung second wave po, dun na po namin na-realize," Sam recalled to which Pia continued, "Na something was wrong because Kyle had already said na 'help na?'" prompting Kieffer to say yes.

Sam also added that the situation quickly became chaotic as the group desperately tried to follow their coach's instructions to head back toward safety, while everyone was screaming due to panic as well.

"Nung third wave po, that’s when everyone started screaming na po," Kieffer said. "Coach John was screaming at us to go to the right... but kahit ano pong gawin namin," Sam said, "Di kaya po," Kieffer finished.

When asked to clarify what their coach had meant by going to the right, Sam and Kieffer confirmed it was the shore they were being asked to go to immediately to vacate the water due to the strong current and waves.

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The June 8 tragedy in Dipaculao claimed the lives of student-athletes Rene Baterbonia and Divine Adili.

In her post, Pia expressed how difficult it has been for the public and the university to process the silence surrounding the event over the past week.

"Every single day that went by without a face of the Ateneo de Manila to talk about the nightmare in Dipaculao, Aurora on June 8... was and is like a nightmare in and of itself," Pia wrote in her caption.

Pia emphasized that accountability is crucial during such a devastating loss for the school and the families.

"Because we know that when a crisis of this magnitude happens, someone must face the people and the press, someone must apologize and explain, someone must take responsibility and declare accountability," she added.

The full discussion aims to shed light on what truly happened during that fateful day.

As previously reported by KAMI about the tragic incident, 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 drowning of two student-athletes. Coach Tab's resignation takes effect immediately as the community seeks accountability and closure regarding the issue.

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Meanwhile, former Ateneo Blue Eagles center Chibueze Ikeh made a direct appeal to his former head coach, Tab Baldwin, regarding the fatal drowning incident. Ikeh is pushing for full transparency to understand what went wrong on the trip that claimed the life of his friend, Divine Adili, and Rene Baterbonia. The former student-athlete clarified that while outdoor stamina and team-building exercises were normal for the program, they never went swimming.

Source: KAMI.com.gh