Suspect-turned-state witness bares Aegis Juris members present in Atio hazing rites
A hazing suspect-turned-state witness on Oct. 25 bared the names of Aegis Juris members who took part in the initiation rites of UST law freshman Horacio "Atio" Castillo III.
Mark Anthony Ventura, member of the Aegis Juris fraternity named 23 of 24 fratmen involved in the initiation rites of Castillo in his six-page affidavit filed last Oct. 26 at the Department of Justice (DOJ).
Aegis Juris member Mark Anthony Ventura during a Senate inquiry into the fatal hazing of Horacio "Atio" Castillo III. Inquirer file. Photo by Lyn Rillon
Ventura named the following: Arvin Balag, Ralph Trangia, Oliver John Audrey Onofre, Mhin Wei Chan, Edril Pilapil, Danielle Hans Matthew Rodrigo, Karl Matthew Villanueva, Joshua Joriel Macabali, Alex Munro Hipe, Marcelino Bagtang, Zimon Pedro, Jose Miguel Salamat, Zach Abulencia, Daniel Ragos, Dave Felix, Sam Cagalingan, Alex Cairo, Luis Kapulong, Leo Lalusis, Kim Cyrill Roque, Alex Bose, Robin Ramos, and Ged Villanueva, and an unidentified female.
Ventura said a neophyte must undergo an orientation in the first stage of the initiation and will be interviewed by those who recruited him.
A psychological warfare and slapping are given to a neophyte who gives wrong answers to questions asked by the members.
Ventura said on the first three days of service, a neophyte is required to do errands and the Master Initiator of the fraternity decides whether a neophyte moves onto the next phase.
Ventura said the last day of one-week service is the final rites where neophytes are ordered to undergo five stages: punching, presentation, test character, begging, and paddling.
Ventura said the initiation rites of Castillo began at 2 a.m. of Sept 17. He said they ordered Castillo to do some stretching before proceeding to the rites.
While Castillo was singing the “Aegan Hymn,” the punching on his arm started.
Ventura said ten members punched Castillo’s arms until they turned black and blue. He said Castillo was also ordered to present “baby shark” after he was punched.
Ventura said in the “test character” phase, Castillo was ordered to drink a glass filled with saliva of all members present during initiation while he was blindfolded but the members later switched the glass with one which contained white eggs.
In the begging rites, Castillo was ordered to strip naked and “hold his balls.”
At 5 a.m., Castillo underwent paddling and stumbled on the fourth hit and collapsed on the fifth which was allegedly performed by Balag, the president of the fraternity.
Ventura said after 15 to 20 minutes, Castillo was unconscious and Balag was talking to someone on the phone.
He said the members dropped melted candle wax on Castillo’s chest and feet to see if he would respond but he did not.
In Solano’s testimony made public by the Senate on Oct. 18, he said Onofre called him around 6:30 a.m. and asked him to go to the fraternity library because someone “collapsed.”
Solano said he arrived some two hours later and was greeted by Hipe, who “opened the door” for him.
Solano found Castillo’s body unconscious on the floor and tried to wake him up by calling him by the name “Hor” and slapping him. He said Castillo had “very little” pupils and was no longer breathing, so he decided to administer cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) but to no avail.
Solano said he told the members to bring Castillo’s body to the hospital because his pulse was unresponsive.
Castillo was brought to the Chinese General Hospital where he was declared dead on arrival.
Solano said Balag told him to tell the police that he found Castillo’s body in Balut, Tondo.
Charges of murder, violation of the Anti-Hazing Law, robbery, and perjury was filed before the DOJ against the fratmen linked in the hazing death.
Ventura, accompanied by his mother Marlene, and lawyer Ferdie Benitez, signed his formal acceptance under the Witness Protection Program on Oct. 25.
Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said Ventura will eventually be dropped from the respondents of the death-case of Castillo after he submitted a tell-all affidavit to the Department of Justice.