ACTING Presiding Judge Shirley Magsipoc-Pagalilauan of the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 11 yesterday convicted 10 members of the Aegis Juris fraternity for the fatal hazing of University of Santo Tomas freshman law student Horacio “Atio” Castillo III and sentenced them to reclusion perpetua, or 40 years imprisonment.
Magsipoc-Pagalilauan said the prosecution presented sufficient evidence to prove the accused’s guilt beyond reasonable doubt.
“Wherefore, the Court finds the accused Arvin Rivera Balag, Mhin Wei Chan, Axel Munro Hipe, Oliver John Audrey Onofre, Joshua Joriel Macabali, Ralph Trangia, John Robin Ramos, Jose Miguel Salamat, Danielle Hans Matthew Rodrigo and Marcelino Bagtang Jr. guilty beyond reasonable doubt of violation of Section 4 (1) of Republic Act No.8049 or the Anti-Hazing Law of 1995 and are hereby sentenced to suffer the penalty of reclusion perpetua,” the court’s ruling said.
The accused were also ordered to “jointly and severally” pay the heirs of Castillo the amount of P461,800 as actual expenses; P75,000 as civil indemnity; P75,000 as moral damages; and P75,000 as exemplary damages.
“All the amounts shall earn interest at the rate of 6 percent per annum upon finality of the decision until fully paid,” the court said, adding that Castillo’s “untimely death caused pain, agony, anxiety, suffering and mental anguish to his heirs because it deprives them of his company, love, support and companionship.”
The 10 accused have been detained at the Manila City Jail since 2018 when the court ordered their arrest.
They originally faced murder complaints on top of the hazing complaint.
State prosecutors dropped the first complaint due to the absence of the element of intent to kill Castillo, noting that the fraternity members merely wanted to inflict physical harm as part of their initiation rites.
The first conviction in the Castillo hazing case was secured by his family in 2019 when Aegis Juris member John Paul Solano was convicted by the Manila Metropolitan Trial Court Branch 14 for obstruction of justice and sentenced to two to four years in prison.
Solano was the one who transported the 22-year-old Castillo to the Chinese General Hospital after he collapsed during the initiation rites that was held in Sampaloc, Manila.
Testimonies during the trial of the case showed that the frat members took turns in paddling Castillo as part of the initiation rites before he became a full-pledged member.
Castillo was declared dead on arrival at Chinese General Hospital, with autopsy reports stating that he died due to severe traumatic injuries sustained during the initiation rites. The accused said Castillo’s cause of death was hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
Castillo’s death led to the enactment of the Anti-Hazing law in 2018.
The Castillo family lauded the court’s decision and thanked the Department of Justice, their lawyer Lorna Kapunan, lawmakers, relatives and supporters for helping them get justice.
Castillo’s parents Horacio II and Carmina said they are holding UST responsible for the death of Atio, adding the school should make changes to protect students.
“I would like to say that I am holding UST responsible for the death of our son. It has been proven that Aegis Juris has been practicing hazing and it is time to check your policies and laws in the school,” Carmina told reporters, adding the university failed as ‘second parents” to her son.
“I would like to reiterate that the school, the university, the civil law department, and the dean himself failed to protect our son,” she said.
For his part, Castillo’s father said: “I think it’s about time heads should roll in the UST.” 5:18pm
Senators welcomed the Manila court’s decision.
Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri said seven years may have been a long waiting time for the family to get justice, but it will somehow provide comfort to them.
“Para sa akin, nakamit ang hustisya sa kaso ni Atio (For me, justice has been served on Atio’s case). The recent verdict is a clear message that no one is above the law — those who perpetrate such acts will face justice,” Zubiri said.
He expressed hope that the verdict will send a strong signal to fraternities and organizations that still refuse to end the culture of hazing, including the latest case of an 18-year-old student who was killed in hazing rites in Nueva Ecija.
Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian said the “road to justice has been long and challenging” for Castillo’s family, “but today marks a victory for the rule of law against the evil of hazing.”
He said Castillo’s death sparked public outrage and calls for justice which “ultimately” led to the passage of RA 11053 or the Anti-Hazing Act of 2018.
“Despite this law, it is tragic that some fellow Filipinos die due to hazing. From 2014 to 2024, mass media reported 17 deaths from hazing, the most recent being a Grade 11 student from Nueva Ecija. Alongside the pursuit of justice for other hazing victims, we must also ensure that our institutions, including schools and law enforcement agencies, work diligently to eliminate hazing,” he said. — With Raymond Africa
