The Department of Justice has approved the indictment of seven members of the Tau Gamma Phi fraternity over the alleged hazing death of Adamson University student John Matthew Salilig.
In a statement, the DOJ’s panel of prosecutors said it found probable cause to indict Earl Romero (alias Slaughter), grand triskelion Tung Cheng Teng Jr. (Nike), Jerome Ochoco Balot (Allie), Sandro Victorino (Loki), Michael Ricalde (Alcazar), Mark Muñoz Pedrosa (Makoy), and master initiator Daniel Perry (Sting) for violation of the Anti-Hazing Law of 2018.
The DOJ said two separate criminal information for violation of the Anti-Hazing Act will be filed before the Biñan City Regional Trial Court.
“No word yet on exactly when the cases will be filed although since the resolution has already come out, we can expect within the day or by tomorrow (Thursday) the filing of the information before the court,” DOJ spokesperson Mico Clavano said in an ambush interview.
Meanwhile, the DOJ said two separate complaints filed by the victim’s brother, John Michael Salilig, along with Dela Cruz, Alexander Marcelo, and Earl Abuda have yet to be assigned to prosecutors.
The complaint filed by Dela Cruz and Salilig’s brother was against Mark Rama (alias Ji), Levi Gianan (Sakmal), Arjay Camangyan (Snoop), Arjay Arao (Vash/Bash) Christian Mercado (Void), Lester Sus (Biggie), Carlos Rovillos (Bishop), Earl Ursolino (Thugs), Aron Cruz (Bones), Ralph Tan (Scottie), Armando Hernandez Jr. (Tyler) and a certain “McGregor.”
The other complaint was filed against Romero, Balot, Victorino, Pedrosa, Perry, Hernandez, Gianan, Rama, Camangyan, Arao, Mercado, Sus, Ursolino, Cruz, Tan, Michael Ritalde (Lambert), Carlos Rovillos (Bishop), and “McGregor.”
The body of Salilig, 24, was found in a shallow grave in Imus, Cavite on February 28, ten days after he was reported missing.
The indictment came after the complaint was submitted for resolution last Friday.
According to the DOJ, the panel said all the respondents planned and participated in the hazing of Salilig, fellow fraternity neophyte and complainant Roi Dela Cruz, and two others.
It said the complainants were also able to establish that Salilig’s injuries led to his death.
“In the instant case, it was sufficiently proven that all respondents actually planned the hazing activity as a requirement of John Matthew and complainant Dela Cruz’s initiation to the fraternity and actually participated in the infliction of physical injuries upon them, which ultimately resulted in the death of John Matthew,” Clavano said.
Clavano noted that Perry was the first to paddle Salilig.
“This assertion belied respondent Perry’s averment in his counter-affidavit that he opted not to participate in the initiation rites and instead focused his attention on looking out for the health and safety of the neophytes,” Clavano said.
“Clearly having the first knack on paddling John Matthew was not consistent with looking out for his health and safety,” he added.
The other fraternity members paddled Salilig after that, Clavano said.
Victorino and Ricalde’s presence in the venue, as well as their knowledge that the hazing rites were being conducted, were “unequivocal indications that they were part of the planning and the conduct of the hazing,” he added.
“As to respondent Pedrosa, aside from being actually present in the initiation rites, he allegedly provided the venue in Biñan City, Laguna where the hazing was conducted. As such, his participation in the planning and conduct of the hazing cannot be denied,” the spokesman said.
According to Clavano, the panel also recommended that Adamson University investigate the actual events of the hazing.
“The panel of prosecutors also recommend that the Adamson University be called upon to investigate motu propio and take an active role to ascertain actual events and identify witnesses in order to determine the disciplinary actions they may impose,” he said.
It also called on the university to assist the police in probing the case.
Dela Cruz previously said the fraternity members declined to bring Salilig to the hospital after he suffered from a seizure during hazing rites.