DOJ drops hazing case vs frat head

MANILA, Philippines - The head of the Lambda Rho Beta (LRB) fraternity tagged in the fatal hazing of San Beda College of Law freshman Marvin Reglos died recently and has been cleared of criminal charges.

LRB Grand Rhoan Eduardo Escobal II, who cooperated with the National Bureau of Investigation in its earlier probe on Reglos’ killing, died last Oct. 25 of cardiopulmonary failure due to a severe asthma attack while on vacation in Bataan.

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said Escobal will be dropped as an accused in the pending murder case before Antipolo regional trial court.

“I heard about his death. The criminal aspect of course is extinguished,” she told The STAR in a text message.

His mother Rowena, a Philippine Airlines flight attendant, said Escobal deserved to be cleared in the case.

“Perhaps God has other plans for my son and He did not want him to suffer the consequences of other people’s acts,” she told The STAR during LRB’s necrological rites on Saturday night. He will be cremated tomorrow.

Rowena said her son was only implicated in the case as the fraternity’s leader, and the fact that he was not put under arrest means there was no ample evidence to prove his liability in the killing of Reglos.

She said her son transferred to Perpetual College in Las Piñas this year after San Beda College imposed administrative sanctions on him and other LRB members.

Reglos’ parents have reportedly had three meetings with the parents of 10 of the accused, who went to Isabela and agreed to discuss a possible P30-million settlement.

The DOJ has filed murder charges with the Antipolo court, which has yet to issue warrants of arrest.

The 25-year-old Reglos was killed last February, reportedly during hazing rites of the LRB at a resort in Antipolo. Alleged fraternity members Erick Castillo, 28; and Bodjie Yap, 24, were arrested after they went back to the hospital, supposedly to check on the victim’s condition.