Youth killed in frat initiation would have been clan’s first lawyer

MANILA, Philippines—Had things happened differently, he might have become the first lawyer in his clan.

But the life and dreams of Marvin Reglos, 25, ended in a fraternity initiation or right of passage in Antipolo City last weekend.

“He was determined to become the first Reglos lawyer,” his younger sister, Lorvie, 21, an airline employee, said in a phone interview on Friday.

Marvin made up his mind to pursue law while he was teaching business and statistics to college students in his alma mater in Isabela. He resigned from his work last year and decided to study law full-time.

The eldest in the brood of three and a son of a landed farmer and a teacher, Marvin would go early to school to read court cases in the library hours before his classes, his sister said.

Only last week when she met him at the gate of San Beda College, Marvin told her in confidence that he was joining an organization and there was going to be an initiation rite in Antipolo City.

“He pleaded with me not to tell Mommy and Daddy. I was worried. But he assured me he would be okay. I told him that whatever it was, be sure to think it through,” Lorvie said.

What lured her brother into joining the fraternity Lorvie did not know.

The last conversation Lorvie had with her brother was on Saturday, while she was cleaning his apartment in Sampaloc, Manila.

Before the initiation rite, she told him, she had broken a mirror which had a sentimental value to him.

“He texted, “Bakit mo binasag? (Why did you break it?). It was special because it was a gift from our father,” she said.

Her brother wasn’t angry though but he seemed unusually sad that day.

She said she did not know it was an omen that Marvin, whom she considered her best friend, would be gone for good.

“I’ll miss the times we spent watching movies and going to the mall. When we were together, we would always laugh about anything,” she said.

On the other hand, her mother who had just arrived from South Korea was deeply shaken by Marvin’s death. “She’s no longer going back to Korea. She said there’s no point working abroad since her only purpose was to support my brother’s studies,” she said.

For now, justice is what the Reglos family earnestly wants.

“We want all those present in the hazing and the entire organization punished and jailed,” she said.

She noted that her family would not entertain any talk with the organization members about the case. “We’ll just see each other inside the court.”

San Sebastian College students Erick Castillo and Bodjie Yap are now in police custody, facing murder charges in relation to the anti-hazing law.

Two other suspects, Arjay Gregena and Juffali Abddulah, and 15 John Does remain at large.