THE first emotion that hit coach Jess Evangelio when he learned about the incident involving his former player Rene Baterbonia wasn’t anger.
It was disbelief.
“First of all, hindi ako makapaniwala talaga kasi sobrang shocking news. Akala ko may injury lang or what, ngayon nalaman ko na nawala na pala si Rene Baterbonia,” Evangelio told SPIN.ph.
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“Sobrang devastating kasi para ko na yung kapatid, eh.”
Over the years, Evangelio turned out to be more than just Baterbonia’s coach on the court - he became a brother and a second father figure, having guided him for six years from his early days in Mindanao basketball all the way to his rise as a UAAP player for Ateneo.
Six years of training, setbacks, growth, and trust - a bond built far beyond basketball so imagine just how personal this is for the young coach.
And as hours and days passed, another feeling began to take over.
Frustration.
“As of now we are praying na sana malaman namin yung totoo kasi wala pa talagang update sa amin kung ano ba talaga yung nangyari," he said.
What makes the situation harder for him, the mentor said, is not only the loss - but the silence that followed after initial statements were released.
“Outside diyan, wala talaga. So clueless kami ngayon, seeking for information. Dami naming tanong kung ano ba talaga nangyari kay Rene.”
For someone who spent the past six years shaping and guiding Baterbonia’s career, the lack of answers now feels heavier than the grief itself.
“Actually initially sabi nila ngayon, pero nag-contact sakin bago lang na hindi sila makakapunta. Sobrang nakakaawa yung family ni Baterbonia, seeking for answers talaga.”
Evangelio said even coordination with those involved has remained unclear, with plans shifting and no final timeline given for meetings or explanations.
At the center of it all, he said, is a family still searching for the truth.
“Ang gusto lang din ng family ni Rene is malaman yung katotohanan. Ano talaga yung nangyari.”
And for Evangelio, a coach who was entrusted the development of Baterbonia on the court, the pain cuts even deeper..
“Sobrang nafifeel ko yung pain niya. Sobrang painful mawalan ng anak. Walang nanay ang deserve mawalan ng anak.”
Now, what remains is six years of shared work and trust reduced to silence, grief, and unanswered questions.
And for the man who once helped shape Baterbonia’s dream, the hardest part is no longer just losing him but not knowing exactly how it all ended.
“Praying ako lagi na sana ma-answer lahat ng questions.”
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