TIMELINE: Atio Castillo hazing death case

After seven years, the court handed down a decision on the hazing-related death of University of Santo Tomas (UST) law freshman Horacio “Atio” Castilo III. In a ruling on Tuesday, the Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 11 said it has found the 10 accused fraternity members guilty beyond reasonable doubt of violating the Anti-Hazing Law of 1995. The 10 were sentenced to reclusion perpetua or up to 40 years of imprisonment.

Here are some of the significant events in the case:

September 16, 2017 — Castillo III, then 22 years old, informs his mother Carmina that he would join members of Aegis Juris Fraternity for an overnight drinking session in UST. She says he assured her that the fraternity is not into hazing.

September 17, 2017 — Castillo undergoes initiation rites conducted by members of Aegis Juris Fraternity. When the fraternity members failed to revive him, they brought him to the Chinese General Hospital where he was declared dead on arrival. 

September 18, 2017 — Castillo's family receives a text message from the Chinese General Hospital regarding the incident.

On September 27, 2017 — Police file a complaint with the Department of Justice (DOJ) in connection with Castillo's death. Before that, investigators discovered a chat group created by members of the fraternity hours after Castillo's death. In the chat group, some frat members advised their fellow members to make sure that the fraternity library is already cleaned up and that there is no CCTV footage of the area. UST, for its part, also conducted its own investigation.

On the same date, Castillo is laid to rest at the Manila Memorial Park.

February 2018 — UST expels eight law students who were supposedly involved in Castillo's death. The names of the students are not disclosed.

March 2018 — The DOJ files charges against 11 members of the fraternity, namely Arvin Balag, Ralph Trangia, Oliver John Audrey Onofre, Mhin Wei Chan, Danielle Hans Matthew Rodrigo, Joshua Joriel Macabali, Axel Munrio Hipe, Marcelino Bagtang, Jose Miguel Salamat, and Robin Ramos, for violation of the Anti-Hazing Law. Meanwhile, charges of perjury and obstruction of justice are filed against John Paul Solano for allegedly providing false and misleading information to investigators.

The DOJ, however, dismisses charges against 10 others and the Aegis Juris Foundation for lack of probable cause while the charges against Civil Law dean Nilo Divina and law faculty secretary Arthur Capili are dismissed for insufficiency of evidence.

The Manila RTC Branch 40 orders the issuance of warrants of arrest against the accused.

The 10 fraternity members surrendered to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on March 23.

In a resolution, Manila RTC Branch 40 Presiding Judge Alfredo Ampuan recuses himself from the case.

May 2018 — The 10 accused are transferred to the Manila City Jail after two months of detention at the National Bureau of Investigation. This was after the Manila RTC Branch 20 rejected their plea to stay locked up at the NBI out of apprehensions for their safety at the city prison.

June 2019 — The Manila Metropolitan Trial Court Branch 14 finds Solano guilty of obstruction and sentences him to two to four years of prison. He initially said that he found Castillo "half dead" and "unconscious" on a sidewalk in Balut, Tondo, before bringing him at Chinese General Hospital.

October 2024 — the Manila RTC Branch 11 finds Arvin Rivera Balag, Mhin Wei Chan, Axel Munro Hipe, Oliver John Audrey Onofre, Joshua Joriel Macabali, Ralph Trangia, John Robin Ramos, Jose Miguel Salamat, Danielle Hans Matthew Rodrigo, Marcelino Bagtang Jr. guilty of violation of the Anti-Hazing Law of 1995. They are sentenced to reclusion perpetua or up to 40 years of imprisonment. The Court also orders them to jointly and severally pay the heirs of Castillo P461,800 in actual expenses, P75,000 as civil indemnity, P75,000 as moral damages, and P75,000 as exemplary damages. —KBK, GMA Integrated News