Aguirre: Aegis Juris member claims fratmen beat up Atio until his arms swelled

Marc Anthony Ventura, a member of Aegis Juris fraternity who turned witness against his fraternity brothers, gave a detailed account on what happened to hazing victim Horacio Castillo III on September 17, according to Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II on Wednesday.

Citing the narration of Ventura to them, Aguirre said the fraternity members continued beating up Castillo until his arms swelled.

“Ang unang physical punishment or initiation ay inumpisahan sa pagsuntok sa kanyang braso; there were about more than 10 who punched him dito sa kanyang braso and meron silang term na ‘hanggat hindi pumuputok' 'yung kanyang braso ay tuloy-tuloy lang sila [sa] pagsuntok, so more than 10 sila," the Justice chief said at a press conference.

"'Yun ang description nila: pagang-paga na, yun bang parang puputok na, ginamitan nila ng spatula para lang ma-calm yung kanyang muscles para lumiit nang konti. Everybody took part also dun sa pag-apply or pag-hit sa spatula. Dapat mga sampung paddle lang; for the leader of the batch, magigging labing isa, but pag nagsosolo ka, you’ll be given 11 paddles," he added. 

Marc Anthony Ventura (center), Aegis Juris member who turned witness in the Horacio Castillo III fatal hazing case, went to the Department of Justice on Wednesday, October 25, 2017, to process his full witness protection program coverage. DOJ

On the third paddle on Castillo, Aguirre said the freshman University of Santo Tomas law student was asked if he could still take the beatings. Castillo reportedly answered in the affirmative.

"Nung fourth [paddling] nag-collapse na, so nung fifth lalong nag-collapse at noon parang naging panicky na ang members ng frat and they tried to revive him," Aguirre said.

Citing Ventura, Aguirre said someone suggested dropping melted wax on Castillo in order to get a physical response.

"But apparently wala nang response si Atio," Aguirre said, noting this development took place around 5 a.m. of September 17 or four hours after the initiation rites started.

The fratmen allegedly played a videoke machine to drown the noise coming from the Aegis Juris' fraternity library in Sampaloc, Manila, where the hazing took place.

Some Aegis Juris members were also drinking alcohol, according to Ventura.

‘May tinurok para ma-revive’

Ventura claimed that Aegis Juris members loaded Castillo into a vehicle that would have taken him to the Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center (JRMMC).

However, the plan to bring Castillo to the JRMMC was shelved to give way to John Paul Solano, an Aegis Juris member and medical technologist who was called by his fraternity brothers help revive the 22-year-old student.

"Kaya nung dumating si Solano, who is a medtech (medical technologist), na parang akala nila 'yun ay merong knowledge about first aid, binaba uli nila si Atio and they tried to revive him. Meron pang siyang tinurok para ma-revive lang. Meron pang pulse, may heartbeat pa, kaya nga they tried to revive him," Aguirre said.

"Pinasok pa nila sa loob ng fratlib at nang hindi mag-succeed, sinakay nila ulit sa pick-up and pagkaalam ni Marc Ventura, dadalhin sa JRMMC pero nagbago ng isip at dinala sa Chinese General Hospital."

Castillo was eventually brought to the Chinese General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Driver

Aguirre said Ventura did not say anything about the possibility that Castillo may have died from a pre-existing heart condition as claimed by Solano.

"We don’t know, pero maraming komplikasyon yan. Pag na-complicate, including yung sa kidney, talagang it could result in deaths," he said. "I don’t know kung nag-issue ng death certificate ang hospital o kung ano ang diagnosis ng mga doctor. Wala akong alam."

Ventura also disclosed that it was a driver of Aegis Juris president Arvin Balag, not of another member Ralph Trangia, who took Castillo to the hospital. 

Aguirre said the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is now searching for the driver.

He also said that Ventura revealed that frat members were called to a meeting in Cubao, Quezon City on the afternoon of September 17. 

Aguirre also disclosed plans to add more names to the immigration lookout bulletin order since Ventura identified more individuals who took part in the brutal initiation rites. — RSJ, GMA News