BB Gandanghari shared the reason she was at the funeral and burial of former Ateneo player, Rene Baterbonia. In an interview with King of Talk Boy Abunda on Fast Talk earlier this week, she expressed her sympathy for the parents of the late basketball player.
Rene passed away on June 8 alongside his other teammate, Divine Adili, in a drowning accident that happened during their team-building activity in Dipaculao, Aurora.
BB recalled that it was her brother, actor-turned-politician Robin Padilla, who went to the wake first before she decided to.
“Kasi si Robin, pumunta dun sa–– siguro two days palang na andito si Bobet–– nag punta na siya sa wake. Kinukwento niya sa akin na talagang awang-awa siya sa pamilya plus the fact na of course it’s a shattered dream eh–– napakalaki ng potential nung bata,” she explained.
She also went to Mindanao to attend the burial, as she felt the pain of the parents of Rene.
“Sabi niya, makikipaglibing ako. Sabi ko, sasama ako. Sasama ako kasi gusto kong makiramay talaga kasi naiintindihan ko yung sakit nung nawala sa pamilya, sa ina. Nagpunta kami and then doon ko nameet ng personal si mommy at daddy–– yun ang tawag ko sa kanila,” she shared.
“Sa pagyakap ko sa kanila, naramdaman ko yung sobrang hinagpis ba. I can’t, kung ako yun, parang mahihirapan [ako] baka ikaloka ko,” she added.
More than just paying respect and attending the funeral of the late athlete, BB also went with the family to Aurora where the tragic incident took place. She expressed how she wanted to give “moral support” and just be there for the family.
READ: https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/celebrities/2026/6/10/gretchen-ho-hopes-truth-on-deaths-of-ateneo-s-divine-adili-and-rene-clert-baterbonia-will-come-out-1859
“Ang nakakakilabot is nung nandoon na kami, dala-dala nila yung mga flowers, binaba yung flowers sa dalampasigan. Tapos yung tubig, hindi naman umaabot–– kasi nila doon sa medyo hindi inaabot ng tubig. But when the mom started saying something and talking to Bobet, alam mo biglang gumanon yung tubig sa mga flowers–– parang nag paramdam talaga,” she recalled.
BB then shared a quick update when asked how the parents are doing after a month since Rene’s passing.
“They’re doing better, but sabi ko nga grief will stay forever; it’s just a matter of getting used to it. It will never go away; you just get used to it, especially since Bobet is such a good son. Mabait naman lahat ng kapatid niya,” she expressed.
Several investigations have been launched to determine what truly happened in the team-building activity that cost the lives of the two basketball athletes.