Another San Beda law student dies in hazing

MANILA, Philippines - A freshman law student of San Beda College (SBC) died Monday from injuries supposedly inflicted during a hazing incident, police said yesterday.

Superintendent Ulysses Cruz, police chief of Dasmariñas, Cavite, confirmed that Marc Andrei Marcos succumbed to multiple injuries at the De La Salle University Medical Center (DLSUMC) in Dasmarias, Cavite.

The news initially broke out on the social networking site Twitter last Monday night and was subsequently confirmed by San Beda students.

Some of the students have already changed their profile pictures, calling for justice for the victim.

Cruz said that the body of the 20-year-old Marcos was brought to the Philippine National Police (PNP) Crime Laboratory for autopsy.

Reports said that Marcos and several other neophytes were subjected to a hazing session on Saturday at a residential compound in Dasmariñas.

SBC officials refused to identify what fraternity in the school’s College of Law was involved, but Cruz said they are looking at the Lex Talionis, Lex Leonum Fraternitas and Lambda Rho Beta.

Cruz said three men and two women, identified as Soledad Sanda and Marilyn Guadayo, brought Marcos to DLSUMC. 

The three men left as soon as the victim was admitted to the hospital.

Senior Superintendent John Bulalacao, Cavite police director, said Marcos was described as “badly wounded” when he was brought to hospital.

He said investigation revealed that the victim was allegedly beaten by unidentified suspects in a farm in Sitio Bisaya, Lt. Cantimbuhan St. Barangay Zone 3 in Dasmariñas.

Bulalacao added that further investigation disclosed that Soledad received a text message from a certain “Gean,” saying he has reported the incident to the police.

He said further investigation showed that Gean turned out to be Gian Angelo Veluz, 27, a 4th year student of San Beda College Alabang and a resident of Lt. Cantimbuhan St.

“Allegedly, Soledad Sanda and Marlen Guadayo are cooks of the Veluz family at their farm located (in) Dasmariñas. These ladies could no longer be found,” Bulalacao reported.

Bulalacao said he had scolded Dasmariñas police chief Cruz for failing to act immediately, considering the suspicious behavior of the still unidentified individuals who brought the victim for medical treatment.

The DLSUMC staff admitted that there was a patient who came in Sunday, but they refused to give further details, saying that the doctors who treated the patient were currently off-duty.  

The SBC Law Student Government (LSG) identified Marcos on their Facebook page as the student who allegedly died after undergoing fraternity initiation rites.

“This is what we have confirmed so far: at about 3 p.m. this afternoon, we have received reports that a 1st year Bedan law student... from 1P, has been confined at the De La Salle University Medical Center in Dasmariñas, Cavite, but he did not make it. The LSG officers, after receiving the report, went to Dasmariñas, Cavite but the body was no longer there,” according to the Facebook page.

“We are now en route back to QC where the body is undergoing autopsy. We are also in coordination with the administration to find out which fraternity is behind this heinous crime. Violence will never be tolerated by this Law School,” it added.

A Mass was held in San Beda in honor of the alleged hazing victim yesterday afternoon.

LSG president Audin Arn Nieva, in a television interview, said the entire college “condemns the incident” and expects an investigation soon to ferret out the truth.

However, lawyer Jose Ibarra, uncle of the victim, had harsh words.

“No one who calls himself a brother... kills him. Yun ang sinasabi ko sa gumawa sa kanya. Kulay ube. Medyo masakit yung pagkamatay niya. (That’s what I’m saying to those who did this. His body was purple. His death was painful),” Ibarra said.

SBC administration, meanwhile, refused to comment, except to say they were “still in a meeting and will come up with a statement at the proper time.”

Ana Abarilla, head of SBC public relations office, said they would issue a statement as soon as the administration comes out with a position on the matter.

“San Beda will fully cooperate with the investigation and rest assured that everything is being done to see that justice is served,” said a man at the College of Law who refused to give his name.

He said SBC does not allow fraternities and sororities in the campus, neither do they tolerate activities related to this kind of organizations.

On Facebook, the University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Arts and Letters posted a statement confirming the death of Marcos, who was an AB Legal Management graduate of the school.

“Andrei Marcos was a graduate of the Faculty of Arts and Letters, University of Santo Tomas. He finished with a degree of AB Legal Management last March 2012. Unfortunately, he was killed during a fraternity hazing after being admitted at San Beda College this academic year,” the post said.

“Let us pray for his soul and hope that justice will be delivered to him,” it added. 

Strike two for SBC

Another SBC of Law freshman Marvin Reglos also died due to injuries caused by hazing during initiation rites of the Lambda Rho Beta fraternity last February. 

Two suspects were arrested on the same night Reglos was rushed to the Unciano Medical Center.

Alleged fraternity members Erick Edrosolano Castillo, 28, and Bodjie Amorin Yap, 24, were arrested after they went back to the hospital, supposedly to check on Marvin’s condition.

Like Marcos, Reglos also sustained severe bruises on several parts of his body. With Cecille Suerte Felipe