UST law dean Divina denies he’s Aegis Juris’ ‘big brother’

University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Civil Law dean Nilo Divina on Thursday denied speculations he is the so-called “big brother” of the Aegis Juris fraternity whose members were implicated in the hazing death of Horacio “Atio” Castillo III.

“I did not know that someone is being referred to as big brother until this incident. I categorically deny that I am the big brother being referred to,” Divina said in a text message.

Divina’s name cropped up after Senator Panfilo Lacson, chairman of one of the three Senate committees looking into Castillo’s death, said on Monday that most senators believe that the ‘big brother’ is no less than the UST law dean himself.

Lacson, chairperson of the Senate public order and dangerous drugs committee, said his colleagues arrived at the conclusion because Divina was the most prominent and appeared to be the "most influential" Aegis Juris member.

Divina is not only a law dean but he is also the founder and managing partner of DivinaLaw, one of the country's fastest-growing law firms.

Lacson said ‘big brother’ was relevant in the Senate probe since he apparently hold sway over Aegis Juris members.

It was lawyer and Aegis Juris member Eric Fuentes who relayed through social media big brother's instructions to all frat brods to show support to their fratmates by attending the Senate investigation and visiting suspect John Paul Solano, who was held in police custody for days in late September.

During the hearing on Monday, Fuentes said “big brother” is a generic term for former Aegis Juris presidents and elder brods. He denied it was Divina, saying they refer to him as “Dean Divina” or “Sir Divina.”

Pressed by Senator Grace Poe about the identity of big brother, hazing suspect-turned-witness Marc Anthony Ventura named a certain "Atty. Bernardo" as the big brother.

Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri later recognized lawyer Arnel Bernardo, who said he was not aware that he was being called by that name.

“Eric Fuentes said I am not big brother. They call me Dean Divina or Sir Dean. Marc Ventura also affirmed that I am not the big brother. Senator Lacson said he has no conclusion to suspect it is me. The attempts of other senators to elicit testimony that I am big brother or I knew Atio miserably failed,” Divina said.

Divina hoped that the “bias” against him would stop “in view of the increasingly clear evidence” that he has no liability over Castillo’s death on September 17.

The UST law dean claimed that he had distanced himself from the fraternity, including its activities and meetings, telling the Senate during previous hearings that he took a leave of absence after he took over the deanship eight years ago.

Divina has since asked the Department of Justice to dismiss criminal complaints filed against him in connection with the hazing incident.

Slamming the supplemental complaints filed by Castillo’s parents as founded on “conjectures” and “twisted logic,” Divina said there was no “overt act” alleged to hold him liable as an accomplice to the freshman law student’s killing, whether as a dean or a trustee of the Aegis Juris Foundation Inc. — RSJ, GMA News