ADVERTISEMENT
Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider DOJ to file in court criminal charges vs 7 Tau Gamma Phi frat members for Salilig's death

DOJ to file in court criminal charges vs 7 Tau Gamma Phi frat members for Salilig's death

Published Mar 15, 2023 07:30 am
Department of Justice (DOJ) prosecutors have ordered the filing in court of criminal charges for violations of the Anti-Hazing Act against seven members of the Tau Gamma Phi fraternity for the death of John Matthew Salilig and injuries sustained by Roi Osmond T. Dela Cruz. To be charged before the Binan City regional trial court (RTC) are fraternity members Earl Anthony Osita Romero, Tung Cheng Benitez Teng, Jerome Ochoco Balot, Sandro Dasalla Victorino, Michael Lambert Alcazar Ricalde, Mark Muñoz Pedrosa, and Daniel Delos Reyes Perry. They will be charged in two separate cases for violations of Republic Act No. 8049, the Anti-Hazing Act of 1995, as amended by RA 11053, the Anti-Hazing Act of 2018. Violations of RA 11053 that resulted in death is punishable with life imprisonment and fine. “In finding probable cause against the respondents, the panel explained in its resolution dated 13 March 2023 that all of the above-mentioned respondents planned and actually participated in hazing the recruits by way of paddling. The complainants were likewise able to establish that the injuries sustained by John Matthew Salilig led to his death,” the DOJ said in a statement. The complaint on Salilig’s death was filed by the deceased brother, John Michael, while Dela Cruz filed the charges himself. Salilig died last Feb. 18 in Binan, Laguna where he was subjected to hazing during initiation rites. His body was found last Feb. 28 in Imus, Cavite. Citing the resolution of the panel of prosecutors, the DOJ said that Salilig and Dela Cruz were recruited to join Tau Gamma Phi-Adamson Chapter and went “to an initiation and welcoming rites last 18 February 2023 at Binan City, Laguna.” “Unfortunately, the said rites led to the death of John Matthew Salilig and injuries to Roi Osmond Dela Cruz,” it said. It said that two other hazing victims -- Alexander R, Marcelo and Earl Justine B. Abuda who both were with Salilig and Dela Cruz during Feb. 18 initiation rites -- filed before the DOJ last March 10 separate complaints against the seven respondents also for violations the Anti-Hazing Act of 2018. Aside from the seven respondents, the DOJ said that several other respondents were included in the complaint.  It identified them as Armando B. Hernandez Jr., Levi Mark V. Gianan, Mark Jios C. Rama, Ryan Ray DL. Camangyan, Ar-Jay Bryle J. Arao, Christian C. Mercado, Lester John DL. Sus, Carlos Miguel V. Rovillos, Earl Miguel Q. Ursolino, Aron James G. Cruz, Ralph Benjamin M. Tan, and a certain McGreggor. “The cases have yet to be assigned to the handling prosecutors. As a result, the hearing for Preliminary Investigation have yet to be set,” the DOJ also said in its statement.
ADVERTISEMENT
.most-popular .layout-ratio{ padding-bottom: 79.13%; } @media (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1024px) { .widget-title { font-size: 15px !important; } }

{{ articles_filter_1561_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}
.most-popular .layout-ratio{ padding-bottom: 79.13%; } @media (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1024px) { .widget-title { font-size: 15px !important; } }

{{ articles_filter_1562_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}
.most-popular .layout-ratio{ padding-bottom: 79.13%; } @media (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1024px) { .widget-title { font-size: 15px !important; } }

{{ articles_filter_1563_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}

{{ articles_filter_1564_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}
.mb-article-details { position: relative; } .mb-article-details .article-body-preview, .mb-article-details .article-body-summary{ font-size: 17px; line-height: 30px; font-family: "Libre Caslon Text", serif; color: #000; } .mb-article-details .article-body-preview iframe , .mb-article-details .article-body-summary iframe{ width: 100%; margin: auto; } .read-more-background { background: linear-gradient(180deg, color(display-p3 1.000 1.000 1.000 / 0) 13.75%, color(display-p3 1.000 1.000 1.000 / 0.8) 30.79%, color(display-p3 1.000 1.000 1.000) 72.5%); position: absolute; height: 200px; width: 100%; bottom: 0; display: flex; justify-content: center; align-items: center; padding: 0; } .read-more-background a{ color: #000; } .read-more-btn { padding: 17px 45px; font-family: Inter; font-weight: 700; font-size: 18px; line-height: 16px; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle; border: 1px solid black; background-color: white; } .hidden { display: none; }
function initializeAllSwipers() { // Get all hidden inputs with cms_article_id document.querySelectorAll('[id^="cms_article_id_"]').forEach(function (input) { const cmsArticleId = input.value; const articleSelector = '#article-' + cmsArticleId + ' .body_images'; const swiperElement = document.querySelector(articleSelector); if (swiperElement && !swiperElement.classList.contains('swiper-initialized')) { new Swiper(articleSelector, { loop: true, pagination: false, navigation: { nextEl: '#article-' + cmsArticleId + ' .swiper-button-next', prevEl: '#article-' + cmsArticleId + ' .swiper-button-prev', }, }); } }); } setTimeout(initializeAllSwipers, 3000); const intersectionObserver = new IntersectionObserver( (entries) => { entries.forEach((entry) => { if (entry.isIntersecting) { const newUrl = entry.target.getAttribute("data-url"); if (newUrl) { history.pushState(null, null, newUrl); let article = entry.target; // Extract metadata const author = article.querySelector('.author-section').textContent.replace('By', '').trim(); const section = article.querySelector('.section-info ').textContent.replace(' ', ' '); const title = article.querySelector('.article-title h1').textContent; // Parse URL for Chartbeat path format const parsedUrl = new URL(newUrl, window.location.origin); const cleanUrl = parsedUrl.host + parsedUrl.pathname; // Update Chartbeat configuration if (typeof window._sf_async_config !== 'undefined') { window._sf_async_config.path = cleanUrl; window._sf_async_config.sections = section; window._sf_async_config.authors = author; } // Track virtual page view with Chartbeat if (typeof pSUPERFLY !== 'undefined' && typeof pSUPERFLY.virtualPage === 'function') { try { pSUPERFLY.virtualPage({ path: cleanUrl, title: title, sections: section, authors: author }); } catch (error) { console.error('ping error', error); } } // Optional: Update document title if (title && title !== document.title) { document.title = title; } } } }); }, { threshold: 0.1 } ); function showArticleBody(button) { const article = button.closest("article"); const summary = article.querySelector(".article-body-summary"); const body = article.querySelector(".article-body-preview"); const readMoreSection = article.querySelector(".read-more-background"); // Hide summary and read-more section summary.style.display = "none"; readMoreSection.style.display = "none"; // Show the full article body body.classList.remove("hidden"); } document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", () => { let loadCount = 0; // Track how many times articles are loaded const offset = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10]; // Offset values const currentUrl = window.location.pathname.substring(1); let isLoading = false; // Prevent multiple calls if (!currentUrl) { console.log("Current URL is invalid."); return; } const sentinel = document.getElementById("load-more-sentinel"); if (!sentinel) { console.log("Sentinel element not found."); return; } function isSentinelVisible() { const rect = sentinel.getBoundingClientRect(); return ( rect.top < window.innerHeight && rect.bottom >= 0 ); } function onScroll() { if (isLoading) return; if (isSentinelVisible()) { if (loadCount >= offset.length) { console.log("Maximum load attempts reached."); window.removeEventListener("scroll", onScroll); return; } isLoading = true; const currentOffset = offset[loadCount]; window.loadMoreItems().then(() => { let article = document.querySelector('#widget_1690 > div:nth-last-of-type(2) article'); intersectionObserver.observe(article) loadCount++; }).catch(error => { console.error("Error loading more items:", error); }).finally(() => { isLoading = false; }); } } window.addEventListener("scroll", onScroll); });
Join Our Newsletters

Sign up by email to receive news.

© 2025 Manila Bulletin The Nation's Leading Newspaper. All Rights Reserved.