The accused members of the Aegis Juris fraternity at the NBI headquarters. INQUIRER.net / Julius N. Leonen
The accused members of the Aegis Juris fraternity tagged in the hazing death of Horacio “Atio” Castillo III turned emotional as they were being turned over on Friday to the custody of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).
The bureau was tipped off about their intention to voluntarily surrender on Friday before dawn when one of the parents of the fraternity members coordinated with an NBI agent for the turnover.
The turnover of the accused occurred “in a place somewhere in Manila” at 11:00 a.m. Parents and lawyers of the accused were present during the turnover, NBI agent Danilo Mayani told reporters in a press conference.
“Kanina nung dumating sila (fraternity members), naging emosyonal, lalo na nung tinurn over sa amin ng parents,” Mayani said as the bureau presented to the media the fraternity members in handcuffs and in their casual clothing.
(Earlier when they arrived, they became emotional especially during the time they were being turned over to us by the parents.)
NBI Director Dante Gierran said the accused would remain under the custody of the bureau until the court issues a commitment order.
“After the standard booking procedures, NBI will report (to) the court and return the warrant,” Gierran said, adding that the 10 accused would remain with the NBI until a commitment order would be issued.
The Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 40 ordered the arrest of all the accused in hte “Atio” case after finding probable cause in the non-bailable charges filed by the Department of Justice (DOJ) for violation of the Anti-Hazing Law.
Specifically, the court ordered the arrests of Mhin Wei Chan, Jose Miguel Salamat, John Robin G. Ramos, Marcelino Bagtang Jr., Arvin A. Balag, Ralph Trangia, Axel Munro Hipe, Oliver Onofre, Joshua Joriel Macabali, and Hans Matthew Rodrigo. /jpv
RELATED STORY
Manila court orders arrest of all accused in ‘Atio’ hazing case