PHILIPPINE Sports Commission chairman Patrick 'Pato' Gregorio stopped short of drawing conclusions on the so-called military-style training camp linked to the deaths of Ateneo players Divine Adili and Rene Baterbonia, but admitted that what has emerged so far is far from what he considers standard practice in Philippine sports.
Speaking during the organizational meeting of the PSC-led inter-agency sports stakeholders panel, Gregorio explained that the nature of the activities that have so far come to light does not appear to be part of the standard policies observed by the country's major sporting bodies.
READ: Panel bats for regulation of coaching profession after Ateneo deaths
“Ang sense po ng commission d'yan, definitely, hindi po 'yan standard. Definitely, wala po 'yan sa policy ng Philippine Sports Commission. I'm sure wala rin po 'yan sa policy ng UAAP. Wala rin po 'yan sa policy ng Palarong Pambansa. Wala po 'yan sa policy ng kahit sinong NSA,” Gregorio said.
“That may be the philosophy of a program that is in place. That is their style and their prerogative.”
The camp in question has long been part of Ateneo's men's basketball culture under head coach Tab Baldwin.
Since Baldwin's arrival, the annual Aurora retreat has served as a cornerstone of the Blue Eagles' preseason preparations, with former players frequently describing it as one of the toughest experiences in the program.
In past interviews, former Ateneo standouts including the likes of Mike Nieto and Anton Asistio among others spoke of the camp's extreme and dreaded nature, recalling a series of physically and mentally taxing activities designed to build resilience, discipline and team cohesion.
While both credited the camp, among others, for shaping Ateneo's championship culture, their accounts also highlighted the rigorous environment that has become synonymous with the annual excursion.
That same environment is now under scrutiny following the deaths of Adili and Baterbonia during a team-building activity in Aurora earlier this month.
For Gregorio, the immediate task is not to assign blame but to determine whether gaps exist in the policies governing training camps and similar activities.
“But having said that, what is important now is that we are being given the opportunity to review kung saan ba ang mga loopholes sa bawat patakaran ng bawat ahensya,” he said.
The PSC chief stressed that the panel's primary objective is to assure the families that the government is taking concrete steps rather than merely expressing condolences.
“Ang importante po kasi, kaya kami nag-meeting today, is we want to tell the family, we want to tell the mother of Rene, and we want to tell the people of Agusan that hindi lang po kami nakikiramay. May gagawin po tayong aksyon.”
The panel, composed of representatives from the PSC, UAAP, Commission on Higher Education, Department of Education, Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas and National Youth Commission, has yet to formally hear Ateneo's side beyond the university's public statements expressing sympathy and confirming details surrounding the incident.
Gregorio said the university will eventually be invited to present its account once the various government inquiries have progressed further.
“After they go through the different inquiries from the other government institutions, this panel will definitely invite Ateneo de Manila for its side of the story,” he said.
“That's why CHED sent four representatives. They already had a meeting with Ateneo yesterday, and the process is ongoing.”
For now, Gregorio emphasized that the focus remains on supporting the bereaved families and ensuring that the investigations proceed thoroughly.
“Hindi po binabalewala ng mga taga-gobyerno ang problemang ito. At meron pong makakausap ang mother ni Rene in solving this problem,” he said.
“'Yan lang po ang masasabi namin. May nag-reach out na. Follow-up na lang po.”
As the investigations continue, the annual Aurora camp that was once viewed as an unsung hallmark of Ateneo's basketball identity now finds itself at the center of a broader discussion on athlete safety, accountability and whether longstanding traditions should be subjected to greater scrutiny moving forward.
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