SC orders UST law dean Nilo Divina to answer disbarment raps

MANILA, Philippines — The Supreme Court (SC) has ordered University of Santo Tomas law dean Nilo Divina and 20 other lawyers belonging to the Aegis Juris fraternity to answer the disbarment complaint filed against them by the Senate over the fatal hazing of UST law freshman Horacio “Atio” Castillo III.

In a three-page resolution released on Tuesday, the high court required Divina and his co-respondents to submit their respective comments on the complaint within 10 days.

The SC initiated the disbarment proceedings on Feb. 6 as it treated the letter of the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs as a complaint.

The panel chaired by Sen. Panfilo Lacson said Divina and the other lawyers should be disbarred after they allegedly plotted to cover up Castillo’s death during initiation rites.

The Senate report also rejected the defense of Divina that he had no means of identifying Castillo because he could have easily contacted his law partner who had knowledge of the incident.

Divina vowed to answer the complaint as he expressed confidence that he would be cleared of the charges.

“I had no prior knowledge of the incident. I was not a party to any cover-up,” he said.

Divina and the other fraternity members are facing charges of murder, hazing and obstruction of justice before the Department of Justice.