BURGOS, Isabela, Philippines – The obscure Caliguian village in this farming town is mourning the death of one of its promising sons, who it would have wished to see as a future lawyer instead of a cold body in a casket.
“We leave everything to the Lord from whom we are getting our strength now from the extreme anguish brought about by the death of our beloved son,” said Lucito Reglos, father of hazing victim Marvin Reglos.
The young Reglos, 25, a San Beda freshman law student, died last Sunday in hazing rites of the Lambda Rho Beta fraternity in a resort in Antipolo City, Rizal.
Marvin’s remains arrived here the other day onboard the municipal ambulance, after a night’s wake in San Beda College.
“I’m ready to forgive those who may have inflicted injury on my son which caused his death. I understand them. I don’t want to destroy their future as what they did to my son who had no other dream in life except to become a lawyer for the poor,” Reglos said.
“It is the leaders of the fraternity who were there during the hazing that I blame for distorting the idea of fraternity,” he said.
“These elders in the fraternity must pay for what they have done. Perhaps they have good intentions but their ends do not justify the means. I pray that justice would be served to whom it is due,” he added.
He said they are pinning their hopes on President Aquino and Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, with whom he personally sought an audience before he brought his son’s remains here.
“I believe in Secretary De Lima’s promise that she would deliver justice for us, that she would not hesitate to make answerable those responsible for my son’s death. Also, I hope media like you will not sleep on this case by continually reminding the government about it,” he said.
De Lima yesterday called for a second look at the anti-hazing law (Republic Act 8049) following Marvin’s death to review the “command responsibility” of frat leaders on the conduct of initiation rites.
Marvin’s mother Myrna, a retired public school teacher, described him as “a loving son and well-mannered, someone every parent would be proud of.”
It was Mrs. Reglos’ first time to see her son since she left for South Korea in 2008 as an overseas worker.
Marvin’s parents, relatives and neighbors described him as a responsible son and loving brother to his younger sisters, Lorvine, 21, a BS Tourism graduate; and Pauline, 14.
“He never smoked, he never got drunk, neither did he gamble; he is a model among our youth here,” said Noli Abaya, a neighbor and close family friend.
Marvin’s teaching job at the University of La Salette-Roxas took a back seat when he decided to pursue his childhood dream of becoming a lawyer.
A graduate of BS Economics at the University of Santo Tomas, he taught statistics and business subjects at the Catholic-run university.
His mother extended her contractual work in South Korea just to sustain his law studies, as his father’s income as a farmer could barely meet the family’s growing needs.
For his part, Mayor Ruben Teggui, a relative, described Marvin as a religious person who he constantly met during church activities, especially on Sundays.
The municipal government, he said, would do everything to help the Reglos family in their quest for justice.
Reglos said details on his son’s interment were still being finalized pending the arrival of their relatives from abroad.– With Edu Punay