Suspect in Servando fatal hazing seeks dismissal of case

Guillo Cesar Servando. FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—One of the suspects in the death of student Guillo Cesar Servando has asked the Department of Justice (DOJ) to dismiss the criminal case filed against him.

In his counter-affidavit, Steven Jorge Penano said there was nothing in the affidavit of the witnesses pointing to his participation in the initiation rites.

Coincidence

While he admits he is a Tau Gamma member and he was at the food chain restaurant where the neophytes met before the initiation rites, he said he was only there to meet his girlfriend.

He also enumerated his activities last June 28 as well as the names of his companions to prove his claim.

“He was not there. My client was not even mentioned in the affidavits of the witnesses,” Morgado told reporters.

“All the material witnesses[in] the Complaint are consistent in their affidavits that I was not [one of] the individuals who went to, or who was present at, or who arrived at the place in Barangay (village) Palanan, Makati City where and when the charged crime happened,” Penano said.

He said after meeting his girlfriend, they proceeded for a tea with their group then went to Greenbelt to watch Transformers. After watching the movie, they had late dinner. Penano said he dropped his girlfriend at her house at 12:20 a.m. and he arrived home 2 a.m.

Penano submitted photos and photocopy of the movie tickets to prove his claim.

Also present are three witnesses John Paul Raval, Lorenze Anthony Agustin and a minor who subscribed to their affidavits in the presence of their lawyers before the three-man panel of prosecutors led by Assistant State Prosecutor Stewart Allan Mariano.

Hearing

The three attended the hearing as prosecution witnesses though the prosecution said they would decide on August 7 if they also act as complainants in the case since “they were also victims.”

On the other hand, respondents, Kurt Michael Almazan, Steve George Penano, Luis Solomon Arevalo and Jomar Pajarito, caretaker of the house in Makati where the initiation rites took place, also appeared before the DOJ.

Both Almazan and Solomon wore hood to hide their faces from the media.

The rest of the respondents who were charged with violation of Republic Act 8049 or the Anti-Hazing Law namely Cody Errol Morales, Daniel Paul Martin Bautista alias “Pope,” Carl Francis Loresca, Esmerson Nathaniel Calupas alias “Eming,” Hans Killlian Tatlonghari alias “Hans Tamaring,” Eleazar Pablico III alias “Trex,” John Kevin Navoa, Vic Angelo Dy, Mark Ramos, Mike Castaneda, Justin Francis Reyes alias “Rey Jay,” Ma. Teresa Dayanghirang, Alyssa Federique Valbuena, alias “Kiko,” alias “Bea,” and one Jane Doe did not attend the proceedings.

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