Frat member Balag to remain in Senate detention, says Lacson

Aegis Juris fraternity member Arvin Balag (right) at the Senate hearing on Oct. 18, 2017, before he was cited in contempt and ordered detained for refusing to answer the questions of senators. INQUIRER FILE

Aegis Juris fraternity member Arvin Balag will remain at the Senate’s detention facility, Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs chair Senator Panfilo Lacson said on Monday.

“Alam mo (You know,) Arvin, before this hearing, I as chair I was inclined to talk to my colleagues to lift the contempt charges para ma-release kana (so that you would be released). But then you filed a petition for certiorari with prayer for TRO (temporary restraining order) so nobody wants to lose by default,” Lacson told Balag during the Senate committee’s inquiry into Horacio “Atio” Castillo III’s death last Sept. 17.

“So we’ll fight it out in the court, so in the mean time, you’ll stay a little longer in the Senate premises,” the senator added.

Balag was cited for contempt and ordered detained at the Senate during the second Senate panel hearing last Oct. 18. This was after he repeatedly refused to confirm if he was the “grand praefectus” or president of the Aegis Juris fraternity tagged in the apparent hazing of the 22-year-old freshman University of Santo Tomas (UST) law student.

READ: Senators cite frat man in contempt, order his detention

During Monday’s hearing, Balag apologized to the senators and to the committee, saying he was not the fraternity’s president since August 2017.

“I would like to apologize for happened last hearing. It was never my intention to disrespect the committee, Mr. Chair, senators. As to the question last time, I was not the president po. I ceased to be an officer last August 2017 po,” he said.

Following this, Lacson asked for his recommendations on the possible amendments to the Anti-Hazing law.

“It should be defined po talaga (really) and hazing should be abolished po,” Balag answered. /je