Fratman turned witness to face Senate probe

CONFESSED FRATERNITY member and government witness Marc Anthony B. Ventura is scheduled to appear on Monday, Nov. 6, before the Senate inquiry on the case of Horacio “Atio” T. Castillo III, the alleged victim of hazing in the hands of the Aegis Juris fraternity.

Mr. Ventura was among those “fraternity members” so identified and subpoenaed to appear on Monday’s inquiry by the Senate committees on public order and dangerous drugs, justice and human rights, and constitutional amendments and revision of codes.

“At least 30 fratmen were subpoenaed while several were invited for the hearing on ‘Atio’ Castillo’s hazing death,” Senator Panfilo M. Lacson, chairman of the committee on public order and dangerous drugs, said in a tweet on Sunday.

A guest list by the Senate inquiry also posted by Mr. Lacson shows embattled dean Nilo T. Divina of the Faculty of Civil Law of the University of Santo Tomas (UST) and other UST officials as among those invited to Monday’s hearing.

Also summoned or invited are “fraternity member” Arvin Balag, currently detained in the Senate for contempt after he declined to confirm or deny being the president of Aegis Juris; the parents of the slain Mr. Castillo; and officials Ronald M. dela Rosa, chief of the National Police, and Justice Secretary Vitaliano N. Aguirre II, among others.

For his part, Senator Sherwin T. Gatchalian told reporters on Sunday that, “Hopefully, magsabi na siya (Balag) ng kanyang nalalaman at alam na ng buong bansa ang kanyang partisipasyon, na siya ang lider dito.” (Hopefully he would disclose already what he knows, [since] the whole country knows his participation, that he’s the leader here.)

Mr. Gatchalian has filed a measure seeking to update Republic Act No. 8049 or the Anti-Hazing Law. — Arjay L. Balinbin