THE ATENEO de Davao University held a final send-off for student-athlete Rene Clert “Bobet” Baterbonia on Monday, June 15, 2026, as he returns to his hometown in Talacogon, Agusan del Sur.
The AdDU community gathered at dawn on Monday, June 15, 2026, for Day 4 of the public mourning period, marking the final blessing and official send-off for Baterbonia.
Flanked by crying teammates, friends, and university administrators, Baterbonia’s family prepared the 2025 Palarong Pambansa MVP for his final journey home to Talacogon, Agusan del Sur. University officials described the departure as a heavy but necessary moment of collective healing.
On Sunday, June 14, 2026, tension brewed in the memorial hosted by AdDU when the family’s legal counsel and his party were reportedly blocked by Ateneo officials.
Atty. Israelito Torreon, the designated legal counsel for the Baterbonia family, confirmed to reporters that he, along with Cebu-based lawyer and content creator Atty. Regal Oliva, was denied entry into the wake on Sunday.
According to Torreon, the sudden lockout disrupted scheduled legal consultations regarding the logistics of transporting the late athlete’s remains from Davao City back to his hometown.
“I was supposed to confer with my clients regarding the preparation for the transfer of the cadaver from Davao City to Agusan,” Torreon stated, adding that he was left completely in the dark regarding who ordered the restriction or why he was turned away at the gate.
School officials have yet to comment on the issue.
Meanwhile, AdDU president Fr. Karel San Juan, SJ, officially announced the permanent renaming of the campus’s Senior High School gym into the Rene Baterbonia Covered Court (RBCC).
AdDU Senior High School Head coach Jess Evangelio emphasized that the court will serve as a permanent North Star for future generations of Mindanaoan athletes.
“Rene, your name will forever be part of Ateneo de Davao,” Evangelio shared in a statement. “Every practice, every game, every young athlete who steps onto the RBCC will remember the boy who proved that no dream is too big when you are willing to work for it.”
While Baterbonia’s remains make the long journey back to Agusan del Sur, questions surrounding the safety protocols of the fateful team-building exercise.
