Warrant of arrest out for Aegis Juris members

MANILA, Philippines (2nd update) — A Manila court on Thursday ordered the arrest of several members of the Aegis Juris fraternity members over the fatal hazing of Horacio “Atio” Castillo III.

BREAKING: Manila regional trial court orders the arrest of 10 Aegis Juris Fraternity members involved in the fatal hazing of Atio Castillo III. pic.twitter.com/oPCYCg0TgT

— The Philippine Star (@PhilippineStar) March 22, 2018

The STAR reported that the sala of Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 40 Presiding Judge Alfredo Ampuan has ordered the arrest of the following members of the fraternity:

• 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 
• Hans Matthew Rodrigo

Ampuan said: "Upon personal evaluation of the resolution of the DOJ Panel of Prosecutors as well as all the supporting evidence on record, this Court finds probable cause and that there is a necessity for placing all the accused under custody in order not to frustrate the ends of justice."

The 10 are accused of violating Section 4(a) of Republic Act No. 8049 or the Anti-Hazing Law.

The charge is non-bailable.

The testimony of Aegis Juris member turned state witness Mark Ventura was vital in the indictment of the accused.

According to Ventura, Castillo was punched and paddled until he was black and blue with bruises by his would-be fraternity brothers.

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

The DOJ, in indicting the fraternity members, also noted the testimony of co-accused John Paul Solano, who is facing a charge of obstruction of justice.

Solano brought the lifeless body of Castillo to the Chinese General Hospital on Sept. 17, 2017.

The justice department, in its resolution, said: "The presence and participation of the said respondents in the initiation rites were established by the statements of both respondents Solano and Ventura."

While the accused argued that their participation in Castillo's hazing were not specified in the complaints against them, the DOJ said "Ventura's statement and the Facebook group chat" established their individual participation.

"Bearing in mind the concealment in hazing, it is only logical and proper for the prosecution to resort to the presentation of circumstantial evidence to prove it," the DOJ added.