Atio punched by 10 men, paddled after collapsing
The body of twenty-two year old Horacio "Atio" Castillo III's was brought to the Chinese General Hospital, but he was declared dead on arrival. His body was covered in blanket, sustained contusions in the upper arms and candle burn marks. Photo from Horacio Tomas Castillo III's Facebook
MANILA, Philippines — "There are about more than 10 who punched him, dito sa kanyang braso, and meron silang term, na hangga't hindi pumuputok ang kanyang braso, ay tuloy-tuloy lang sila ng pagsuntok."
(There are more than 10 who punched him, here, his arms, and they have a term: Until his arms are black and blue, swollen, the punching will continue.)
Around 1:00 a.m. of September 17, Horacio "Atio" Castillo III started undergoing the final initiation rites of Aegis Juris Fraternity. Come Sunday, Atio will see the sunrise as the newest member of the Aegis Juris Fraternity, one of the oldest law fraternities of the University of Santo Tomas.
The fraternity's motto is "Shield of Justice."
But on Sunday morning, the lifeless body of Atio was brought to the Chinese General Hospital. His arms were black and blue with bruises. His eyeglasses and his watch, the last things Atio had according to his mother, nowhere to be found.
READ: Atio's parents to fratmen: Return our son's belongings
More than a month since Atio was killed in a fatal hazing, a member of the Aegis Juris Fraternity has come forward to the Department of Justice on Tuesday.
Mark Ventura, in front of Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II and other members of the authorities, detailed Atio's night with his supposed fraternity brothers.
'Sinasampal'
Citing fratman Mark Ventura's narration, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II on Wednesday detailed the four hours endured by Atio in the hands of the Aegis Juris Fraternity.
Atio's application started on Monday, September 11. He was made to go to the fraternity library where he was subjected to one week of servitude.
"Physical, psychological tests," Ventura said in his narration. This "one week of service" includes waiting on fraternity members, running errands such as doing their homeworks and tests of obedience.
"Paiinumin siya ng may laway kunwari," but the members will switch out the drink before Atio will take it.
Atio was also repeatedly slapped, as part of the physical tests.
'Okay na, puputok na, tama na'
Before final becoming a "brother," Atio was made to undergo four hours of final rites, which had three stages.
First, Atio would have to receive the punches of his brothers. There were around ten of them, Ventura said, who were told to punch Atio's arms repeatedly.
Atio's arms are at the mercy of master initiator, Axel Hipe. As the master initiator, Hipe will say when the punching will stop, or "kapag puputok na, tama na."
To muffle the noise, another group was having a drinks and singing on the videoke. There were around seven of them.
"Nag-iinom to mask the shouting, may malakas na videoke."
Ventura said that the punching lasted for about an hour.
A spatula will then be used to "calm" the muscles of Atio: "Para lumiit ng konti. (So the swelling will be reduced.)
"Everybody took part also sa pag-apply o pag-hit ng spatula."
The third and final stage will be the paddling.
READ: Aegis Juris members say heart disease killed Atio
''Pag solo ka, eleven paddles"
Atio would have to be hit by eleven times with a paddle, since he was undergoing the rites solo.
By the eleventh hit, it would have been sunrise and Atio would have been an official brother of the Aegis Juris Fraternity.
It was not until the third hit that Atio was asked if he could still take the hits.
He said yes. He could still take the hits.
He was hit for the fourth time, but Atio collapsed. "Unintelligible na ang kanyang response. Umuungol na lang siya," the narration continued. (His response was unintelligible. He was only moaning in pain.)
"After a few minutes, nung nakita na nilang nagkakamalay, they struck him for the 5th time with the paddle," Aguirre said.
Atio collapsed again.
This was only when the members became "panicky" and tried to revive Atio. It was already 5:00 a.m.
The brothers then proceeded to drop candle wax on Atio's body to see his response to pain. "But apparently, wala nang response si Atio."
Atio was brought to the Chinese General Hospital on Sunday morning, but he was declared dead on arrival.
READ: Anti-hazing law: 22 years, 1 conviction
A complaint of murder, anti-hazing, robbery, and perjury have been filed against several members of the Aegis Juris Fraternity.
Aguirre said that more names will revealed in the following days, after Ventura's affidavit has been certified by the Witness Protection Program.
Ventura's application to the DOJ's WPP is currently being processed. His full affidavit has yet to be released in public, as of posting.
Atio was a 22-year-old freshman law student of the University of Santo Tomas. He was laid to rest on September 27, at the Manila Memorial Park in Parañaque City.
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