Aegis Juris fratmen suspended from UST Law over Atio Castillo hazing case

The University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Civil Law has ordered the "preventive suspension" of all officers and members of the Aegis Juris fraternity following the death of freshman law student Horacio Tomas "Atio" Castillo III.

In a memorandum on Monday posted on Facebook by the Varsitarian, UST civil law dean Attorney Nilo Divina said "all officers and members of the Aegis Juris Fraternity are preventively suspended from the UST Faculty of Civil Law effective September 18, 2017."

"Members of this group therefore would not be allowed to enter the campus or the Faculty of Civil Law or attend classes until further orders," Divina's memo added.

Divina said the investigation would be immediately conducted so that "appropriate sanctions [could] be imposed."

Castillo died of massive heart attack possibly due to the injuries he suffered after alleged hazing rites.

His body was found by a concerned citizen at a sidewalk in Tondo on Sunday morning and brought to Chinese General Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

The victim's mother, Carmina Castillo, earlier said their son informed them he was invited to join a fraternity.

He told them the initiation was already over and the welcome event, an overnight drinking session, will be held on Saturday at UST.

However, Horacio never made it home. His parents learned of his death at around 1 a.m. on Monday.

UST has started to investigate the incident. —Anna Felicia Bajo/NB, GMA News