Six more Tau Gamma Phi fraternity members, who are “suspects” in the hazing to death of Adamson University (AdU) engineering student John Matthew Salilig, are expected to surrender, Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla said on Friday, March 10.
“Ang balita namin may anim pa na gustong sumuko sa hazing case (We received reports that there are six more persons who wanted to surrender in the hazing case),” Remulla told journalists.
The DOJ’s panel of prosecutors has started conducting preliminary investigation on the complaints filed against seven suspects in the Salilig’s death.
Respondents in the complaints are tatoo artist Michael Lambert Ritalde, 31; Mark Edrosa, 39; Romero Earl Anthony, 21; Tung Cheng Teng Jr., 22; Jerome Balot, 22; Sandro Victorino, 28; and Daniel Perry, 23.
They were charged with violations of Republic Act (RA) No. 8049, the Anti-Hazing Act of 1995 as amended by RA 11053 or the Anti-Hazing Act of 2018.
Aside from the Salilig family, the complainant against the seven suspects is fraternity neophyte and AdU student Roi Osmon Tuazon Dela Cruz.
On the surrender of six more “suspects,” Remulla said: “Alam mo ‘yan usually hindi sila nakakakuha ng abogado kaagad, hindi sila naa-advisan ng maayos kaagad (This happened because they couldn’t immediately get lawyers, and they weren’t advised early).”
He cited that the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) will not represent the fraternity members who were involved in the hazing due to conflict of interest since the family of the victim sought PAO’s help first in providing legal assistance.
But, he said, he has begun talks with the PAO to no longer consider conflict of interest in accepting requests from indigent persons for legal assistance. “We want PAO to help everybody,” he pointed out.