Atio Castillo’s kin to file complaint vs. UST before Vatican

The parents of hazing victim Horacio "Atio" Castillo III are planning to file a complaint before the Vatican against the University of Santo Tomas for the  supposed "inaction" of school officials over the freshman law student's death.

"As per recommendation of the Senate we will be reporting UST's inaction over our son's death," Atio's mother, Carminia Castillo said in a text message to GMA News Online.

"We will be filing it soon," she added.

Carminia was referring to Senator Miguel Zubiri's recommendation that they should lodge a complaint before the Vatican as UST being a pontifical university should be a "subject to investigative procedures of the Vatican."

Lorna Kapunan, counsel for spouses Horacio II and Carminia, said in a phone interview with GMA News Online that the complaint is also in relation to UST's "silence," adding that they are still discussing the content of the complaint.

"Pinaguusapan pa because the family's related to Cardinal [Luis Antonio] Tagle also...Napuntahan na nila noon si Cardinal Tagle, but ngayon the issue ngayon is why the university quiet?," she said.

"UST is the only pontifical university in asia. What does it mean? It means that it's under the pope, it directly reports to the Vatican, 'yun ang ibig sabihin," she added.

Kapunan said that Atio's family will further assess the steps they will undertake after the Senate hearing on Senate Bill 1662 or the Anti-Hazing Act of 2018 on Monday. 

"So after that, mag-a-assess yung family kung tutuloy or kung kailan because magfafile din ng decision, magfafile ng civil action for civil damages, in addition sa criminal case," she said.

Kapunan said that the spouses are also thinking of filing for civil complaint.

"Paguusapan yung timetable after Monday, but apart from the criminal case being investigated by the DOJ...the parents are thinking of filing a civil action for damages," she said.

Atio, a freshman law student, died of “severe blunt traumatic injuries” after attending the "welcoming rites" of the Aegis Juris fraternity September last year.

Criminal complaints have already been filed against members of the fraternity responsible for his death. —NB, GMA News