Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) has confirmed the resignation of Ateneo Blue Eagles head coach Tab Baldwin and team manager Epok Quimpo following the deaths of student-athletes Rene Baterbonia and Divine Adili.
The university announced the development during a press conference, where ADMU President Fr. Roberto Yap confirmed that the resignations of Baldwin and Quimpo had been accepted by the university administration.
Yap became emotional during the briefing and again extended an apology to the families of the two student-athletes and to the broader Ateneo community.
The resignations come in the wake of the tragedy involving Baterbonia and Adili, whose deaths remain under investigation by authorities.
According to the university, government authorities are continuing their investigation into the incident. Ateneo is also conducting a separate inquiry to determine the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
The university said it remains committed to cooperating with the ongoing investigations while providing assistance to the affected families.
ADMU also announced that it will shoulder the funeral expenses related to the deaths of the two student-athletes. In addition, the university will cover the cost of returning Adili’s remains to his home country of Nigeria.
Prior to the announcement, Ateneo de Davao University disclosed that it had offered scholarships to the six siblings of Baterbonia.
The deaths of the two student-athletes have drawn attention from members of the Ateneo community and the wider sports sector, prompting calls for accountability and a thorough review of the circumstances surrounding the incident.
As investigations continue, university officials have reiterated their commitment to supporting the affected families and ensuring that all relevant facts related to the tragedy are fully established.
The university has not yet announced who will assume the head coaching role following Baldwin’s resignation.
