DOJ clears UST Law dean Divina in Atio Castillo hazing case

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Justice has cleared University of Santo Tomas Law dean Nilo Divina in the fatal hazing case of student Horacio "Atio" Castillo III.

According to the resolution, raps against Divina and Arthur Capili, faculty secretary, were dropped due to "insufficiency of evidence."

The DOJ has indicted 11 members of the Aegis Juris Fraternity over the case. Ten face anti-hazing charges, while John Paul Solano, who brought Castillo's body to the hospital after the final rites, is facing perjury and obstruction of justice charges.

READ: DOJ indicts 11 Aegis Juris members over fatal hazing of Atio Castillo

The DOJ, in weighing in on the case, said that the "[c]omplainants also failed to adduce evidence to support a finding of probable cause for all the charges against respondents Divina and Capilli, in their respective capacities as dean and faculty secretary of the UST Faculty of Civil Law."

The law dean welcomed the DOJ clearing his name. In a statement sent to reporters, he said: "I have always maintained my full innocence throughout this unfortunate incident, and thankfully, this has now been established beyond question."

He added: "As they say, the moral arc of the universe may be long but it bends towards justice."

READ: UST Law Dean Divina: 'My conscience is clear'

Castillo's parents, through their lawyer Lorna Kapunan, named Divina as a respondent in the fatal hazing case of their son.

The couple, in their supplemental complaint, hit Divina for issuing a blanket suspension to the members of the fraternity that "effectively allowed Respondent-Members to escape undetected and unscathed, and at the very least, to avoid being directly [questioned] by the [Manila Police District] on Atio's death."

Divina earlier said that naming him as respondent of the case was merely a "personal case" for Kapunan.

The law dean said that the complaints against him are "products of the crude maneuverings of persons who claim to represent and care about the complainants but in truth are pursuing their own personal agenda."

Divina pointed out that Kapunan has filed, and publicized, a disbarment case against him and several lawyers of his law firm, in connection with a separate issue involving the Commission on Elections.

Divina also thanked his colleagues who stood by him. "I share with you this vindication against the attempt to tarnish my reputation that I have painstakingly built and safeguarded throughout the years," he said.