2 suspects out on bail in Beda student hazing
The only two people arrested for the death of San Beda student and alleged hazing victim Marvin Reglos walked out of Rizal Provincial Jail after posting bail Tuesday night.
Bojhee Yap and Eric Castillo were granted provisional liberty based on a February 28 resolution issued by Judge Miguel Asuncion of Antipolo City Regional Trial Court Branch 97, Cristina Sanchez, the court’s officer in charge, told the Philippine Daily Inquirer on Friday.
Yap and Castillo were the only two suspects arrested out of several others charged with murder in relation to the antihazing law, in connection with Reglos’ death allegedly due to injuries sustained during the Feb. 19, 2012, initiation rites of the Lambda Rho Beta fraternity.
Warrants of arrest have yet to be issued against the seven other suspects: Kevin Mendoza, Norman Espinoza, Marco Antonio Ampil, Kelvin Brian Pe, Israel Velasco Cruz, Rejomel Christian Japa Adobo and Margrien Archenar Gregaña.
Sanchez said the court was still waiting for the Department of Justice to act on a petition for review filed by Mendoza on Aug. 6, 2012, which sought the reversal of the joint resolutions issued by the Antipolo City prosecutor’s office on June 4 and July 13 last year. The resolutions then recommended the filing of criminal charges against him, Espinoza, Ampil, Pe, Cruz, Adobo and Gregaña.
Sanchez said Yap and Castillo posted a P100,000 bail each for their temporary release.
In allowing Yap and Castillo to post bail, Asuncion said that despite the documents and the seven prosecution witnesses presented in 12 hearings, “not a shred of evidence that proves or tends to prove how the deceased died” was given.
“Did Marvin Reglos in fact die as a result of hazing? The prosecution left this question unanswered,” Asuncion said.
Lucito Reglos, the victim’s father, expressed dismay at the resolution. “What is this? It’s like saying my son just killed himself,” he said.
