AFTER more than seven years, a Manila court is set to render its verdict today on the accused tagged in the fatal hazing of University of Sto. Tomas freshman law student Horacio “Atio” Castillo III.

Castillo died on September 17, 2017, a day after undergoing initiation rites at the hands of members of the Aegis Juris fraternity. He was 22 years old at the time of his death.

According to the police report, Castillo sustained hematoma that led to his death.

The accused have said Castillo’s cause of death was hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, not severe traumatic injuries sustained from the alleged hazing.

The verdict by the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 11 will be handed down at 1:30 p.m. today.

The Court of Appeals and the RTC have previously junked the petitions for bail and demurrer to evidence, or motion to dismiss the case due to lack of merit, filed by some of the suspects.

In junking the appeal of suspect Ralph Trangia, the CA through Associate Justice Jaime Fortunato Caringal, has said that the prosecution was able to establish the elements of the crime of hazing, and his presence and his co-accused during the incident.

The appellate court likewise found as credible Anthony Ventura, also a member of Aegis Juris, who was presented by the prosecution as witness.

Aside from Trangia, the other suspects who are detained at the Manila City Jail are Arvin Balag, Mhin Wei Chan, Axel Munro Hipe, Oliver John Audrey Onofre, Joshua Joriel Macabali, Robin Ramos, Jose Miguel Salamat, Danielle Hans Matthew Rodrigo, and Marcelino Bagtang Jr.

In 2022, the Manila trial court also threw out the plea of most of the accused seeking to junk the criminal charges filed against them.

The first conviction in the case took place in 2019 when John Paul Solano, another fraternity member, was sentenced to a two-to-four-year sentence for obstruction of justice.

Castillo’s death has led to the enactment of RA 11053, or the Anti-Hazing Act of 2018, which prohibits all forms of hazing, including those under military training, and providing for more stiffer penalties against the crime.

Meanwhile, an 18-year-old senior high school student in Jaen, Nueva Ecija was reported to have succumbed to injuries sustained after allegedly undergoing a fraternity hazing rite last Sunday.

A police report identified the victim as Ren Joseph Bayan, a resident of Barangay San Pablo, Jaen and a student of San Pablo National High School.

The incident was reported by the victim’s aunt to the Jaen Municipal Police Station at around 10:20 p.m. Sunday.

She told the police that prior to the hazing, her nephew supposedly told her he will undergo a “final initiation” rite of a fraternity in Barangay San Anton in the nearby town of San Leonardo.

She said the suspects purportedly brought the body of her nephew to their residence at around 5 p.m. of Sunday and immediately fled.

The victim’s body was subsequently taken to the Malgapo Funeral Services while the Jaen police requested Scene of the Crime Operatives from the Nueva Ecija provincial police to conduct an autopsy to determine the cause of death and assist in the investigation.

The victim’s school has posted on its official Facebook page its condolences to the victim’s family.

“Lubos na ipinagdadalamhati ng komunidad ng San Pablo National High School ang pagpanaw ng isa sa ating mga mag-aaral na si Ren Joseph Bayan ng Grade 11-TVL. Ipinaaabot ng SPNHS ang taos-pusong pakikiramay para sa kanyang naiwang pamilya, gayundin ang marubdob na panalangin na makamit niya ang kapayapaan at kapahingahan kasama ang Poong Maykapal (The entire San Pablo National High School deeply mourns the passing of one of our students Ren Joseph Bayan of Grade 11-TVL. SPNHW extends its heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family, as well as our fervent prayers that he may find peace and rest with the Almighty),” it said.

A staff of Education Secretary Juan Edgardo Angara said they will first verify the report with their officials in Nueva Ecija before issuing a statement.