‘Doctor-cousin of frat member refused to aid Salilig’

MANILA, Philippines — A medical doctor and cousin of a fraternity member allegedly refused to provide medical assistance to the dying John Matthew Salilig who suffered severe injuries after undergoing hazing last month, according to Sen. Francis Tolentino.

During yesterday’s public hearing of the Senate committee on justice on Salilig’s death due to hazing, Tolentino urged authorities, particularly the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), to identify the doctor, who is a cousin of a certain Lee, another Tau Gamma Phi fraternity member who remains at large.

“It’s sad that there was a doctor there, he did not want to give assistance... What was he doing there? Maybe he was invited to help, he did not help, that is violation of his Hippocratic Oath as a medical practitioner; he can be sued,” the senator said in English and Filipino as he presided over the hearing of the Senate panel.

“Can we expect the NBI to dig deeper into this?” he added.

During the continuation of the committee hearing, Tolentino revealed that based on the statement of Ralph Benjamin Tan, alias Scottie, one of the fraternity members under NBI custody, a doctor arrived at the second hazing venue in Parañaque City supposedly to pick up another fraternity member, identified as a certain Lee.

“Part of Tan’s statement was that Lee was picked up by his cousin, who is also a doctor. Matthew was still alive at the time, and Ralph Benjamin Tan asked Lee if his cousin, who is a doctor, could help, if he could assist Matthew. The doctor said it’s not possible,” Tolentino said.

The senator further pressed for information about the doctor.

“The question is, did we find this doctor, who declined to offer medical assistance when he saw that Matthew was dying? Because every doctor has sworn a Hippocratic Oath that you would render medical assistance to a person in need before you become a doctor,” he said.

“NBI, who is this doctor? He is licensed by the PRC (Professional Regulation Commission), he is a medical practitioner. I don’t know any doctor who doesn’t give help to those in need. The person is already in front of him. Has his name been investigated? Who is this doctor and where is he now?” he added.

NBI agent Joseph Eufemio Martinez said they are trying to identify the person involved.

“Tan apparently cannot identify who the doctor is. We are trying to pursue other information to identify him,” Martinez said.

Tolentino urged the NBI to ask Lee to identify his cousin who could be held criminally liable for not helping Salilig.

Martinez said Lee is not yet among the five personalities implicated in Salilig’s hazing now in NBI custody.

Meanwhile, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri expressed belief that the present law has enough teeth to combat the evil that is hazing.

“Aside from banning all forms of hazing, Republic Act 11053 also imposes stiffer penalties on persons involved in carrying out this despicable act. Under the law, those who actually planned and participated in the hazing resulting in death, rape, sodomy or mutilation will be given the penalty of reclusion perpetua or life imprisonment. That is 40 years imprisonment,” Zubiri said.

“Under the same law, even if the hazing does not result in death, all officers and officials present during the hazing … are all liable. It is with implementation that we are having problems,” he added.

The Senate president noted that senators are willing to listen to resource persons to possibly improve the law.