John Matthew Salilig (Photo courtesy of the Salilig family)
MANILA, Philippines — John Matthew Salilig, an Adamson University chemical engineering student, whose battered body was found dumped in a vacant lot in Imus, Cavite, died due to “severe blunt force trauma to the lower extremities.”
This was the finding of a report released on Tuesday by the Regional Crime Laboratory Office of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Calabarzon.
The 24-year-old Salilig reportedly died after undergoing hazing during the welcoming rites of the Tau Gamma Phi fraternity.
A witness had earlier told the police that Salilig was beaten at least 70 times.
He died on Saturday, Feb. 18 — the same day he went missing. He was last seen on his way to Laguna for the initiation, according to the police.
The Tau Gamma Phi Cavite Provincial Council has “strongly condemned” the death of Salilig whom they referred to as “one hazing victim.”
“This is definitely a violation of our law, specifically Republic Act No. 11053, also known as Anti-Hazing Law. It is inhuman and against our doctrine as members of Tau Gamma Phi,” the fraternity said in a statement.
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla has ordered the National Bureau of Investigation to do a parallel investigation of Salilig’s death.
Adamson University earlier said it would conduct a separate probe into the incident as it vowed to “not allow anything to come amiss.”
According to health education platform Osmosis, blunt force trauma “refers to injury of the body by forceful impact, falls or physical attack with a dull object.”
“Severity of the injury depends on the mechanism and extent of injury. Typically, a large force applied to a sizable area over several minutes will result in vast tissue damage, which increases the chance of death,” it explained.
