Bato floats ‘revenge’ as possible reason behind death of AUV driver in Salilig case

Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa on Tuesday floated “revenge” as a possible reason behind the death of the alleged driver of the gray AUV that carried the body of hazing victim John Matthew Salilig before it was buried.

The lawmaker made the remark at the Senate justice and human rights committee as he urged PNP Region IV-A Director Police Brigadier General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. to coordinate with the National Capital Region Police Office to find out the real cause of death of alias "Sakmal".

“Baka mamaya niresbakan na ‘yon ha. I-take natin talaga. Siguruhin natin kung ano ang circumstances paki-coordinate sa NCRPO please and update this committee,” Dela Rosa said.

(He may have been a victim of revenge. Let's confirm the circumstances and coordinate with the NCRPO.)

“This committee is interested to know the circumstances behind the death of that suspect Sakmal,” he added.

In response, Nartatez said they have not declared suicide yet as Sakmal’s real cause of death.

“Accordingly, it was a suicide kaya ang sinabi ko "he died" kasi we’ll still be looking for the investigation conducted by the law enforcement agencies in National Capital Region,” Nartatez said.

Last Friday, Biñan City Police acting chief Police Lieutenant Colonel Virgilio Jopia disclosed that alias Sakmal, an Adamson University alumnus, was found dead. He was reportedly a victim of suicide.

Sakmal was the alleged driver of the Mitsubishi Adventure which was used to transport the body of Salilig. The AUV is now in police custody.

Investigation showed that Salilig went through the initiation rites of the Tau Gamma Phi chapter on the afternoon of February 19.

The victim reportedly was no longer in good condition in the middle of the rites. They were already on their way back to Manila when the victim died.

At the same Senate hearing, Roi Osmond Dela Cruz, a neophyte who underwent hazing with Salilig and two others, said Tau Gamma Phi members declined to bring Salilig to the hospital after he suffered seizures.

On February 28, the body of Salilig, a chemical engineering student, was found in a shallow grave in Imus, Cavite, more than a week after he was last seen alive. —VAL, GMA Integrated News