Alcedo hazing case: 7 in custody as 1 more frat member surrenders to CIDG

MANILA, Philippines — Another member of a fraternity surrendered, this time to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group National Capital Region (CIDG NCR), in connection with the alleged fatal hazing of 19-year-old maritime student Mark Kenneth Alcedo.

In a text message on Tuesday, CIDG NCR Director Col. John Guiagui confirmed to the Inquirer that a member of Tau Gamma Phi turned himself over to the police on Monday night.

This development brings to seven the total number of Tau Gamma Phi members who have surrendered to the authorities over the Alcedo case.

The seventh fraternity member to turn himself in has been identified as 26-year-old maritime school alumnus Dar Sabilona, his legal counsel Jayve Grospe told reporters upon visiting him in Camp Crame.

“He chose to surrender here because he thought it was safer for him to reach out to the CIDG NCR,” Grospe explained.

“I myself convinced him to surrender because, first of all, it shows respect for our justice system and the rule of law. Secondly, it is our response to Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla’s call to surrender,” he added.

Grospe noted that Sabilona maintained his innocence but has yet to confirm or deny his presence at the alleged hazing.

Police are taking Sabilona’s statement and will be turning him over to the Cavite Provincial Police Office for the investigation, the legal counsel noted.

READ: 6 frat members in alleged hazing death already in police custody

The first member surrendered to the authorities in General Trias City on March 3.

A second member turned himself over in Dasmariñas City, while four more surrendered in General Trias again last Sunday.

Alcedo and two more neophytes were allegedly hazed during the fraternity’s initiation rites in Dasmariñas on March 1.

Later that afternoon, three fraternity members brought Alcedo to the General Trias Medical Center, where the latter was declared dead.

An autopsy showed Alcedo had died of blunt force trauma to the lower extremities, with police investigators noting that fruits and chili seeds had been found on his groin and buttocks.

In a statement late Monday afternoon, the Cavite Provincial Police Office said there were 15 named suspects and three John Does involved in the alleged hazing.

The Cavite police added that the two neophytes filed complaints before the local prosecutor’s office on March 7 against the 18 suspects for violations of Republic Act No. 11053 or the Anti-Hazing Law.

The case prompted Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla — himself a member of the Upsilon Sigma Phi fraternity at the University of the Philippines — to meet with Tau Gamma Phi leadership last Friday.

At the meeting, Tau Gamma Phi had committed to helping reform the organization and Remulla gave them until March 10 to surrender all suspects involved.

Asked to react to only seven of 18 suspects being surrendered as of this writing, in a text message, Remulla told reporters, “Still gathering info. They promised more to surrender tomorrow. We will wait.” /apl