ROVELYN Baterbonia, mother of late Ateneo student-athlete Rene Baterbonia, drew criticisms online after sharing a Facebook post about a fire that struck a residential area in Cebu City.
The post she reposted referred to the blaze in Mambaling as “karma” and linked the incident to Jared Bahay, an Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles basketball player whose hometown is in Cebu.
The original post questioned how Bahay and his family were affected by the fire and included the line, “Is this how the Karma goes to Jared ‘House’ Bahay.”
Baterbonia’s repost prompted reactions from social media users with some questioning her decision to share the material. Others expressed concern over the possible impact of the post on Bahay and his family.
The fire itself was reported in Sitio Lawis, Barangay Alaska Mambaling, Cebu City, on September 18, 2026. Reports from Cebu media said 101 families, or 375 people, were affected, while 52 houses were totally damaged. Two people were injured and no fatalities were reported.
There was also no verified report establishing that the fire directly hit the Bahay family’s residence.
Claims suggesting that Jared Bahay’s house was among the properties destroyed therefore remain unverified.
The online controversy came amid heightened public attention surrounding Ateneo following the June 8 deaths of Rene Baterbonia and Divine Adili during an off-campus team-building activity in Dipaculao, Aurora. (Adrian Co)
