Report: 3 held over Palawan hazing death

At least two members of a fraternity-sorority group have been arrested and one foreigner held for questioning for last Sunday's fatal hazing and dumping of a neophyte in Palawan. Radio dzBB reported Thursday that police withheld the names of the members of the Tau Gamma Phi fraternity and Tau Gamma Sigma sorority pending the formal filing of charges against them. Lawmen also continued their manhunt for other members of the fraternity who were linked to the fatal hazing of Roland Seguiña, and the dumping of his body in the Iwahig River. Seguiña was one of at least five neophytes who took part in a "one-day survival" initiation rite. The dzBB report cited police information identifying the foreigner as Bob Violett, a resident of New Jersey, and staying at Brooke's Point in Palawan province. Violett was said to have driven his white Mitsubishi Adventure (WEG-661) that was used to bring Seguiña's body to a bridge and dump it in the river. Police in Puerto Princesa City arrested the two fraternity-sorority members, identified through pseudonyms Dodong and Ge-ann, Wednesday. The two face charges of violating the Anti-Hazing Law, violating the women and children's protection act, and obstruction of justice. Violett also faces charges of obstruction of justice, police said. Police noted that at least two of the neophytes who underwent hazing last weekend were minors. Similar charges are being prepared against at least 30 other members of the fraternity and sorority. Last Wednesday, Coast Guard divers found the body of Seguiña 18 to 20 feet under the water in Iwahig River, 20 kilometers from poblacion Puerto Princesa in Puerto Princesa City. The dzBB report described the victim's body as bloated and white, with bruises and blood clots in different parts of the body. The victim's hands and feet were tied. Coast Guard divers said the victim's killers tied a deadweight to his body and threw him into the river. The Tau Gamma Phi fraternity has chapters in Palawan State University where the victim was taking up a course in mechanical engineering, and in other schools such as the Holy Trinity College and the Western Polytechnic University. Last Tuesday, Palawan police launched a manhunt for at least 40 members of the fraternity, whose members had since gone incommunicado. - GMANews.TV