Court junks bail petitions of fratmen in Atio Castillo hazing case

A Manila court has denied the petitions for bail of 10 fraternity members involved in the death of University of Sto. Tomas student Horacio "Atio" Castillo, which would keep them in jail.

In a 56-page order, Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 20 Presiding Judge Marivic Balisi-Umali said that upon presentation of facts and evidence, the court  "finds the evidence of guilt of each of the accused strong."

The order was dated December 10, 2019, but was released to the media only on January 3, 2020.

The 10 fraternity members are Arvin Balag, Mhin Wei Chan, Axel Munro Hipe, Oliver John Audrey Onofre, Joshua Joriel Macabali, Ralph Trangia, Robin Ramos, Jose Miguel Salamat, Danielle Hans Matthew, and Marcelino Bagtang.

The court earlier found probable cause to charge the 10 Aegis Juris members with violation of Republic Act 8049 or the Anti-Hazing Law for the killing of the 22-year-old Castillo on September 17, 2017.

They have been detained at the Manila City Jail since May 2018.

The court has set the hearing on the hazing case on January 14, 2020, according to a report on GMA's Saksi.

In June 2019, the Manila Metropolitan Trial Court Branch 14 sentenced another  Aegis Juris Fraternity member, John Paul Solano, guilty of obstruction of justice — the first conviction in the Atio Castillo hazing case.

It was Solano who brought an unconscious Castillo from the frat library to the Chinese General Hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival.

He initially told police that he found Castillo lying on the road and covered with a blanket.

Solano was sentenced two to four years in prison. —Nicole-Anne Lagrimas/LDF, GMA News