DOJ appeals to fraternity 'brods' to cooperate in hazing investigation

MANILA, Philippines - Justice Secretary Leila de Lima yesterday vowed to pursue justice for Marvin Reglos, 25, a freshman law student of San Beda College, who died in a farternity hazing.

De Lima said she would exercise moral suasion and talk to the officials of Lambda Rho Beta fraternity, counterpart of the Lambda Rho Sigma sorority at the San Beda College of Law that she co-founded.

Reglos died last Sunday due to kidney failure resulting from the initiation rites of the Lambda Rho Beta fraternity.

“I will appeal to my brods in the fraternity, for those officials to fully cooperate with the investigation of both the PNP (Philippine National Police) and NBI (National Bureau of Investigation),” De Lima told reporters in an ambush interview.

She said she has tapped the Death Investigation Division (DID) of the NBI to conduct a separate investigation. She also ordered a re-autopsy of the victim’s body.

“I will also ask both the PNP and DID to invite the known officers of the Lambda Rho Beta fraternity. What I know is they have a grand Rhoan who is the head of resident brods of the fraternity. They should be invited to possibly shed light and for further questioning,” De Lima said.

She said it is important to get more information from the fraternity about the incident, including the number of participants in the hazing and if who inflicted harm on the victim.

“I am really interested to know what really happened and if who should be held liable because that’s a criminal act under our anti-hazing law. Our fraternities apparently have not learned their lessons,” she lamented.

The justice chief also directed the NBI-DID to verify the claim of the victim’s cousin Ed Agustin that there were two other victims who suffered serious injuries in the alleged hazing, one of whom is reportedly in critical condition.

De Lima issued the orders after meeting with Reglos’ father Lucito and their relatives.

Police investigators, meanwhile, criticized officials of the San Beda College for not cooperating in their effort to gather additional evidence.

Superintendent Rodino Elfa, Antipolo City police chief, said they are consulting with their lawyers for the possibility of filing obstruction of justice charges against officials of the college.

Elfa said police investigators sent to the college to gather additional information went home empty-handed.

 The Antipolo City police filed murder charges against Eric Castillo, 28, of Rancho Village in Marikina City; Bodjie Yap, 24, of 46-B G. Tuazon, Sampaloc, Manila; Arjay Gregana; Jufali Abdula; and 11 others for the death of Reglos.

Castillo and Yap have remained silent on the case, apparently heeding the order of top fraternity officials.

Since the suspects were already charged in court, Senior Superintendent Rolando Anduyan, Rizal provincial director, said they would wait for the issuance of warrants for the arrest of Gregana and Abdula and 11 other members and officials of the Lambda Rho Beta fraternity before hunting them down. – With Non Alquitran