Suspect in Servando fatal hazing admitted to WPP

Published July 9, 2014 11:12am

(Updated 4:32 p.m.) A suspect in the death of alleged hazing victim Guillo Servando has already been placed under provisional inclusion in the Witness Protection Program (WPP), Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said Wednesday.

In an interview with reporters, De Lima said the unnamed suspect - who surrendered to her Tuesday night - will now likewise get provisional government protection.

"He has applied for the WPP and we have provisionally admitted him already kasi nag-execute na siya ng statement," she said.

De Lima said an initial evaluation of the suspect was "satisfactory" enough to give him provisional WPP admission. Further evaluation would have to be done for an eventual full WPP admission, she added.

De Lima could not confirm yet if the one who surrendered was among the people whose photographs the National Bureau of Investigation has shown to the media earlier.

The Justice chief, however, assured the public that the NBI already has already identified "most" of the fraternity members present during the initiation rites.

"Pine-prepare na nila mga kaso as soon as possible," said De Lima.

De Lima said the suspect admitted to being present during the initiation rites, but denied touching any of the neophytes. "Mayroon siyang ibang role other than the beating, other than pagpapalo or pagsusuntok doon sa mga neophyte," she said.

De Lima also said the suspect already had a chance to speak with the father of Servando Tuesday night. Servando was a second-year student at the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde.

As to the suspect's bid to become a state witness, Servando's father was leaving it up to government investigators to decide, De Lima said.

"When the NBI presented to me this frat member who is turning into a state witness ay dumating din iyong father. Nagkausap kami ng father and the father said its up to us who to us as should be a state witnesses," she said

Also on Wednesday, De Lima said that of Servando's three fellow neophytes who underwent hazing with him two weekends ago at a house in Makati City, two have already executed affidavits.

Two suspects in custody

Including the latest suspect that surrendered on Tuesday night, the NBI has two suspects already in its custody, reported GMA News TV's "Balitanghali" on Wednesday.

The first suspect, who is a member of the Tau Gamma Phi fraternity, turned himself in on July 1, three days after the reported hazing incident.

According to Servando's father Aurelio, he had a talk with one of the suspects. "So far, the NBI has two [suspects in custody] and their testimonies were very damaging. Talagang details and everything. All the participants."

Aside from the men that participated in the initiation rites, the suspect divulged that three women were also at the crime scene.

"I would suggest that these three girls, kung di man kayo member ng Tau Gamma at makakatulong kayo, lumantad na," the older Servando said.

NBI officers said that if the three women do not cooperate, they may be tagged as accessories to the crime, the television report added.

At the middle of the media interview, Aurelio cannot hold back his emotions, saying: "I talk to him (Guillo) everyday, every hour. I tell him, I'm sorry at di ko siya nabantayan. Pinatawad ko na rin siya na hindi siya nagsabi sa sasali siya sa fraternity. Okay lang kami. he can move on." — with Rouchelle R. Dinglasan/RSJ, GMA News