MANILA, Philippines — Members of the Aegis Juris fraternity have insisted on their claim that neophyte Horacio “Atio” Castillo III did not die from hazing injuries even after another fratman, Marc Anthony Ventura, spilled the beans on the fatal initiation rites. In his counter-affidavit submitted to the Department of Justice (DOJ) Monday, fraternity leader Arvin Balag claimed that there was no proof showing that Castillo underwent hazing in their library on Sept. 17. Balag was among 23 fratmen named by Ventura in his tell-all affidavit as those who participated in or were present during the hazing of Castillo. Like his frat brothers John Paul Solano and Axel Hipe, Balag claimed that Castillo died from a pre-existing heart condition called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and not from hazing injuries. Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II earlier announced that the charges against Ventura would be dropped after he turned state witness.

Source: Philippine Star October 31, 2017 16:29 UTC