Horacio Castillo III (inset) died after undergoing a brutal initiation rite in 2017. ARCHIVE

Ten members of the Aegis Juris fraternity have been found guilty in the hazing death of University of Santo Tomas (UST) law student Horacio “Atio” Castillo III. After a seven-year legal battle, the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 11 on Tuesday (October 1) convicted the fraternity members for violating the anti-hazing law, and sentenced them to reclusion perpetua, a form of life imprisonment. The guilty parties, identified as Arvin Balag, Mhin Wei Chan, Axel Munro Hipe, Oliver John Audrey Onofre, Joshua Joriel Macabali, Ralph Trangia, Robin Ramos, Jose Miguel Salamat, Danielle Hans Matthew Rodrigo, and Marcelino Bagtang, were also ordered to jointly pay ₱625,000 to Castillo’s family as compensation for damages and actual expenses. Castillo, then 22 years old, suffered fatal blunt force trauma injuries after undergoing several hours of initiation rites in September 2017. Castillo’s death, one of the most high-profile hazing cases in recent Philippine history, led to the enactment of a stricter anti-hazing law in 2018. His family’s emotional response to the court's verdict reflects years of seeking justice. During the trial, the defense argued that the intention of the fraternity was not to kill but to subject Castillo to physical initiation rites. Despite this, the court held the members accountable for their actions. The case also brought national attention to the role of UST and its administrators, with the Senate investigating officials, including UST Law Dean Nilo Divina, who was also a member of the fraternity. Though Divina was later cleared, the case prompted significant debate on the role of educational institutions in preventing hazing-related violence. Castillo’s death spurred the passage of Republic Act No. 11053, also known as the Anti-Hazing Act of 2018, which bans all forms of hazing. While hailed as a milestone, the law has yet to eradicate hazing incidents in the country entirely. ICA/Expat Media
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