Prosperidad Bishop Ruben Labajo notes how the death of Rene Clert Baterbonia has touched the entire nation
AGUSAN DEL SUR, Philippines – Bishop Ruben Labajo of the Diocese of Prosperidad in Agusan del Sur said the life of Ateneo basketball player Rene Clert Baterbonia “remains an enduring inspiration” to all, and his legacy “lives on in every dream” he ignited.
“Rene was a rising star, an MVP who played with the passion of a purpose-driven young man,” Labajo said in his homily during the Mass at Baterbonia’s wake in Talacogon, Agusan del Sur, on Monday evening, June 22.
The bishop added: “His life was never just about fame and the points he scored. It was about the lives he touched. His sudden departure has captured the hearts of the entire Filipino nation because Rene’s story was our story.”
The 18-year-old Baterbonia, along with Ateneo de Manila University men’s basketball teammate Divine Adili, 21, drowned during a team-building activity in Dipaculao, Aurora, on June 8. Their deaths are currently being investigated.
