Timmy Diagone
The family of late Ateneo basketball player Rene Baterbonia has donated one of his early basketball jerseys to Boss Toyo’s Pinoy Pawnstars Museum, clarifying that the memorabilia was not sold for the rumored ₱25 million.
Rene’s parents, Rovelyn and Rene Baterbonia, personally handed the jersey to the social media personality and collector for preservation and public display.
According to Rovelyn, her son wore the jersey—bearing the Baterbonia name and No. 2—during his Grade 11 year at Ateneo de Davao University Senior High School. She also revealed that it had never been washed, adding to its sentimental value for the family.
“Ito po ’yung jersey ng anak ko noong senior high school pa po siya. Ito po ’yung pinili ni Boss Toyo para gusto niya ilagay dito sa kanyang museum,” Rovelyn said.
She emphasized that the family voluntarily gave the jersey without asking for payment.
“Bigay ko po ’to sa kanya nang kusa na walang kapalit po, para naman po alagaan naman po niya nang mabuti po. Naiyak lang ako kasi nami-miss ko ito.”
The jersey recently attracted attention online following claims that the Baterbonia family was offering it to Boss Toyo for ₱25 million.
Both sides denied the claim.
Boss Toyo clarified in his vlog that the jersey was donated or pledged to his museum and was never the subject of a ₱25-million transaction.
“This will stay here forever and will never be for sale,” he said, adding that the jersey would be framed and properly preserved.
During their conversation, Rene’s parents also looked back on their son’s aspirations and desire to provide a better life for his family.
“He thinks of himself but also us,” Rovelyn said.
She recalled Rene telling them that the Baterbonia surname would someday become widely known because of his perseverance as a basketball player.
The donated jersey represents an early chapter in Rene’s journey before he became part of the Ateneo de Manila University men’s basketball program.
Rene died alongside fellow Ateneo student-athlete Divine Adili on June 8 during an off-campus team-building activity in Dipaculao, Aurora. Police later said Rene’s cause of death was asphyxia by drowning based on a post-mortem examination.
The jersey will now remain at the Pinoy Pawnstars Museum as memorabilia honoring Rene’s basketball journey rather than as an item for sale.
