Aegis Juris leader Balag was last to paddle Atio Castillo

Aegis Juris fraternity leader Alvin Balag was the fifth and last to hit hazing victim Horacio "Atio" Castillo III with a paddle before the neophyte and University of Santo Tomas law student collapsed and subsequently lost consciousness.

This was according to the sworn statement filed by Aegis Juris member Marc Anthony Ventura before the Department of Justice as regards the deadly initiation rites held on September 17 at the fraternity library in Manila.

Balag, who balked at answering questions as regards his leadership and membership in the fraternity at a congressional inquiry on the Castillo hazing case, is now detained at the Senate after he was held in contempt.

According to Cecil Villarosa of Super Radyo dzBB, Ventura's statement indicated that the paddling of the neophyte commenced at 5 a.m. or three hours after the rites started with a prayer at 2 a.m.

Ventura identified those who hit Castillo as Axel Munro Hipe, Ralph Trangia, Balag, and a yet to be identified member. Balag allegedly also made the fifth paddle strike.

Atio fell on his knees on the third hit but he was hit again by the unidentified fraternity member after he somehow composed himself.

Balag made the fifth hit, which caused Atio to collapse.

Castillo was then made to sit on a chair and smell ammonia so he could wake up.

Ventura also saw someone checking Castillo's pulse and talking to him.

The group panicked after 15 to 20 minutes when they noticed that Castillo was unresponsive and was not waking up.

Balag instructed the fraternity members to drip candle wax on Atio's chest and foot but Castillo still did to respond. 

Fraternity member Robin Ramos suggested that Atio be brought to the hospital but Balag initially hesitated supposedly due to fear that they might be held by hospital personnel.

Balag eventually agreed after a discussion with other fraternity members.

Balag left the fraternity library to see his driver and get his vehicle. Trangia followed.

Atio was then loaded into a pickup vehicle to bring him to the hospital but Balag ordered to unload the student and brought him back inside the library where Hipe performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation and mouth to mouth resuscitation on Atio.

Ventura said Atio vomitted and his eyes responded to the light coming from a cellular phone.

Aegis Juris member John Paul Solano also performed CPR and mouth to mouth resuscitation on Atio and instructed other members to massage the feet and hands of Atio.

Solano later noticed that Atio's pulse rate had dropped to a "borderline" level. At this point, Solano suggested to bring Atio to the hospital.

Solano was on his motorcycle when they brought Atio to the Chinese General Hospital.

Also part of the convoy was the red  pick-up supposedly registered to Trangia's father and the black vehicle carrying Balag.

Cubao meeting

After this, Ventura said he returned home, heard mass, and went to sleep. Later in the day, Macabali fetched him from his home to attend a fraternity meeting at a building in Cubao, Quezon City.

Among those present in the meeting were Hipe, Bagtang, Abulencia, Ragos, Trangia, Chan, a certain Marvi and Gem, Henry Pablo Jr., and Brian Bangui.

Ventura said the group had a heated discussion on what steps to take including on how to approach Castillo's parents.

He also said it was Balag who directed them to keep silent about the fatal hazing rites. —NB, GMA News