1st yr UST Law student Horacio Tomas Castillo III was killed in a possible hazing incident by alleged members of Aegis Juris Frat. Photo by Cyrille Cupino of Radyo Inquirer 990AM
Friends and schoolmates of University of Santo Tomas (UST) law student Horacio Castillo III expressed rage on social media over the death of the law school freshman, whom police and family members said died due to obvious signs of hazing.
What made Castillo’s death more hurtful and unacceptable was the fact that “future lawyers” are involved in the killing, said one Facebook user named Julius Fernandez.
“It is much harder to accept his death because future lawyers (themselves) are involved. You have the academic and professional rigor, yet you have flawed with morals. Kaya hindi puwedeng matalino lang (So, it is not just pure intelligence). You all should stand on this issue. And do it fast lalo na ang mga matatanda na parang walang pinagkatandaan (especially the senior ones who appeared to have aged immaturely),” Fernandez’s post read.
The UST’s civil law student council also condemned Castillo’s killing in the hands of his “brods” in the fraternity.
“Horacio was promised brotherhood, support, and camaraderie; but instead what he got was pain, suffering, and death,” the council said in a statement posted on Facebook.
The council also called on the perpetrators behind Castillo’s death to face the consequences of their actions.
“To those responsible for this atrocious killing, now’s the time for you to question this barbaric tradition. Did his death justify your sense of brotherhood? To those who perpetrated it, there’s only one question to ask: Am I my brother’s killer?'” it added.
Meanwhile, a former classmate of Castillo during the days when they were studying Political Science at the UST recalled how she shared the struggle with the victim, whom she said, “never (failed) to cheer them up.”
“We struggled together in all those four rigorous but memorable years in Political Science and just roughly five months ago we survived and finally graduated. You have always been a kind and dependable person who never fails to cheer us up,” Laurena de Jesus said in her post.
Castillo’s friend also vowed to seek justice for him.
“We will fight for you Horacio and you will always be in our hearts. I will never forget you and I hope that you can now find solace with our Lord,” de Jesus added.
Castillo’s mother, Carmina, earlier said that her son went to the university on Saturday to attend the law school-based Aegis Juris fraternity’s overnight welcome ceremony.
READ: Mom of killed UST law student asks: What happened to my son?
The mother said her son was found dumped on a sidewalk in Balut, Tondo, Manila on Sunday —his body bloated, full of drops of candle wax and wrapped in a blanket. The Manila Police District (MPD) later confirmed this.
READ: Police confirm hazing killed UST law student
In a memorandum also on Monday, UST’s Civil Law Dean Nilo Divina immediately ordered the suspension of all officers and members of the fraternity pending investigation on Castillo’s death. /jpv
READ: UST suspends Aegis Juris fratmen pending probe into fatal hazing