Ateneo de Manila University assistant basketball coach Sandro Soriano appeared before the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Wednesday in connection with the deaths of two students — John Matthew Baterbonia and Gabriel Adili — which occurred during a fraternity initiation rite earlier this year.
Soriano arrived at the NBI headquarters in Manila around 9:00 a.m. and was accompanied by his legal counsel. The coach is among several persons of interest in the ongoing probe into the fatalities.
Authorities are piecing together the events that led to the tragic deaths of Baterbonia and Adili, both first-year students, who were found unresponsive after participating in what police described as a fraternity hazing activity. Soriano has denied any involvement in the fraternity, but investigators are looking into possible connections between the athletic department and the organization.
In a statement, the NBI said Soriano cooperated fully during the interview. The investigation remains ongoing.