PNP: 'Extensive traumatic injuries' caused Marc Andre Marcos' death

Twenty-two-year-old San Beda law student Marc Andre Marcos died due to extensive traumatic injuries in his upper and lower extremeties, Philippine National Police spokesman Chief Superintedent Generoso Cerbo Jr. said Wednesday.

 

Marcos died on Monday at the De La Salle University Medical Center in Dasmariñas, Cavite. His body was brought to the PNP Crime Laboratory for autopsy on Tuesday. At a press briefing, Cerbo said that based on the medico legal report submitted by the PNP Crime Laboratory, Marcos suffered heavy blows to his thighs, feet and arms. According to Cerbo, it is unclear what was used to deliver the blows.

 

"Hindi pa naman sinasabi dito, but what is definite is may bugbog yung bata sa mga extremities niya," Cerbo said.

 

Earlier, Marcos' uncle Atty. Jose Vener Ibarra said his arms and legs were "kulay ube." 

 

"Let's just say na yung arms niya at yung legs niya kulay ube. 'Yun ang sinasabi ko sa gumawa sa kanya. Kulay ube. Medyo masakit yung pagkamatay niya," he said. Unconscious DLSUMC director Dr. Gary Carlos said the victim was unconscious when he was brought to the hospital past 11 p.m. on Sunday. "Wala nang pulse, respiratory rate, blood pressure. 'Pag kinabit sa ECG machine, mayroon pang electrical activity. Nirerescuscitate, pero medyo pabago-bago yung condition," Carlos said in an earlier report. Marcos' family believes he was undergoing initiation rites by the Lex Leonum fraternity composed of San Beda law students.

 

Cerbo said the crime laboratory's findings were very similar to those in the case of 25-year-old Marvin Reglos last February. Also a law student at San Beda, Reglos died in February allegedly after a violent hazing ritual by members of the Lambda Rho Beta fraternity.  To date, the Reglos case remains pending.

 

When Marcos was brought to the hospital, it was initially reported as a mauling incident. "Lumalabas na emergency case lang ito. Insidente ng mauling, dinala sa ospital, of course [sa] ospital, automatically gagamutin. Noong namatay, doon na lumabas ang suspicion na may foul play ito kaya kinontak po ang PNP," Cerbo said.

 

He added that the PNP is coordinating with the Cavite Provincial Police in an ongoing investigation. Cerbo said that Veluz is a person of interest, as it appears his family owns the area where the victim is suspected to have come from.

 

Cavite Police are now looking for Veluz and two house helpers, according to an earlier report on GMA News TV.

 

Further verification in the social networking websites showed Veluz is a member of Lex Leonum Fraternitas, according to a report issued by the office of Cavite Police director Senior Superintendent John Bulalacao.

 

Cerbo also said that San Beda school authorities have been cooperative. "Sa katunayan nga yung mga unang statements denouncing the incident ay sa kanila galing," he said.

 

"We condemn violence in San Beda and that is why the Law Student Government and the San Beda College of Law administration will fully cooperate with any investigation that will bring light to this matter," Aubin Nieva, president of the San Beda Law Student Government, said after the news of Marcos' death broke on Twitter Monday night. — RSJ, GMA News