Atio’s hazing could shock even those who went through initiation —Lacson

Even those who went through fraternity rites would be “shocked” to learn how freshman law student Horacio “Atio” Castillo III died during his initiation, Senator Panfilo Lacson said Thursday.

“I can only imagine the mixed feelings of relief and agony that the victim’s parents are going through right now—how they hate to hear what they have wanted to know,” Lacson said in a text message.

“Having said that, the manner by which the initiation rites were conducted, both preliminary and final could shock even those who have experienced the same ordeal when they joined their own fraternities. It’s still a long way to go before justice is finally served though,” he added.

Lacson is the chairman of the Senate public order committee conducting a probe on the death of Castillo.

He made the statement after suspect-turned-witness Marc Anthony Ventura tagged 23 individuals present at Castillo's initiation rites.

Citing Ventura’s detailed account of what happened on September 17, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II on Wednesday said Aegis Juris fraternity members beat 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," Aguirre said.

"Ginamitan nila ng spatula para lang ma-calm yung kanyang muscles para lumiit ng 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.

On the third paddle, Aguirre said, Castillo 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.

Next hearing

Lacson said he believes Ventura’s testimony is credible.

“In any criminal investigation and trial, the details of the truth always add up to the credibility of a testimony. Ventura’s narration of events that led to Atio’s hazing to death has provided exactly that,” the senator said.

The Senate public order committee has scheduled for November 6 its next hearing on Castillo’s death.

Lacson said his committee seeks to strengthen Republic Act (RA) 8049 or the Anti-Hazing Law to avoid “future deaths or physical harm on young people like Atio Castillo.”

Senator Joel Villanueva, for his part, expressed hopes that Ventura’s testimony will speed up the search for justice for Castillo.

“Mapapabilis ang pagkilos ng Senado para makamit ang hustisya para kay Atio at maisaayos ang Anti-Hazing Law at iba pang reporma,” Villanueva said.  —LBG, GMA News