The accused in the fatal hazing of Adamson University student John Matthew Salilig pleaded not guilty to hazing charges before the Biñan Regional Trial Court, a report from GMA News said.
This was confirmed by the panel of prosecutors to GMA News Online. Prosecutors said the accused attended the hearing through videoconferencing and that one of the accused filed a petition for bail, GMA News reported.
According to the prosecutors, the pre-trial hearing is set on May 3 while the bail hearing will be held on May 17 at the Biñan RTC.
The case stemmed from the complaint for violation of the Anti-Hazing Law against Tau Gamma Phi fraternity members Earl Anthony Romero, Jerome Balot, Sandro Victorino, Michael Lambert Ritalde, Mark Pedrosa, master initiator Daniel Perry, and grand triskelion Tung Cheng Teng.
The complaint was submitted for resolution in early March. The body of Salilig, 24, was found in a shallow grave in Imus, Cavite, on February 28, ten days after he was reported missing.