UST law dean Divina says Senate report calling for his disbarment ‘unfortunate’

University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Civil Law dean Nilo Divina on Wednesday expressed disappointment over the recommendation of a Senate committee that he should be disbarred and that he should quit from his post following the death of law student Horacio "Atio" Castillo III.

"It is unfortunate that the Senate Committee on Public Order and Justice and Human Rights did not favorably consider my explanations despite being anchored on the truth and nothing but the truth," Divina said in a statement.

"While I laud the zeal of our legislators in rectifying the loopholes in our existing laws, it is most unfortunate that allegations had been made in the report questioning the veracity and sincerity of my statements and ascribing part of the blame on me," he added.

READ: Official statement of UST Law dean Nilo Divina on the Senate Committee report on Horacio Castillo's death @gmanews pic.twitter.com/kMqbdN5UYg

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Divina issued the statement after the Senate panel filed Committee No. 232, asking the Supreme Court (SC) to initiate disciplinary or disbarment proceedings against Divina and other alumni members of the Aegis Juris fraternity, the group blamed on Castillo's death.

“Although we recognize the number of disbarment cases pending before the Supreme Court, it is humbly requested that the issue at hand be given preference and be dealt with as soon as possible considering that another life was lost because of the barbaric practices of the fraternity,” the report said.

“The actions taken by these members constitute grossly immoral conduct that is shocking, against the decency expected from lawyers and a mockery of the legal profession,” it added.

Meanwhile, Divina maintained that his conscience is clear and that he had no knowledge of the supposed hazing rites of Castillo prior to its occurrence.

Divina also said he was not part of the supposed group chats of some members of the Aegis Juris fraternity where they allegedly tried to cover-up the incident.

"I did not do anything wrong, illegal or unethical. I did all I could have done under the circumstances to prevent incidents of hazing from happening during my watch as Dean of the UST Faculty of Civil Law," Divina said.

"In fact I volunteered my assistance to the authorities, helped convince one of the suspects to surrender and religiously attended all the Senate hearings," he added.

Divina said he has remained confident of vindication despite the accusations thrown against him and the cases filed against him.

"It is clear that the Senate recommendation to file a disbarment case against the lawyers involved was hinge on the condition that said lawyers had knowledge of the incident and failed to report to the authorities," he said.

"Without such knowledge and having consistently cooperated witrh the authorities, I completely trust that I will not be unfairly dragged into any such case," he added.

Divina said he would never allow the mistakes of some and the unfair accusations of a few to get in the way of fulfilling his job as dean.

"I regret with all my heart what had happened to Atio but a wrong can not be rectified by another justice," Divina said.

Castillo died of “severe blunt traumatic injuries” in September last year after attending the "welcoming rites" of the Aegis Juris fraternity.

Criminal complaints have already been filed against members of the fraternity.  —Anna Felicia Bajo/KBK, GMA News