Alleged San Beda Law hazing victim’s arms, legs were purple from blows
MANILA, July 31 (Mabuhay) — Belonging to a family of lawyers, 22-year-old Marc Andrei Marcos was set to follow in their footsteps. But the dream became a nightmare when the first year law student was apparently beaten to death in a suspected hazing ritual and died in a hospital on Monday.
“Let’s just say na yung arms niya at yung legs niya kulay ube. ‘Yun ang sinasabi ko sa gumawa sa kanya. Kulay ube. Medyo masakit yung pagkamatay niya,” said Atty. Jose Vener Ibarra, Marcos’ uncle.
A Cavite police report said that Marcos had been “mauled” by unidentified assailants on a farm in Dasmariñas, Cavite, and was brought to De La Salle University Medical Center in Dasmariñas by a certain Soledad Sanda, a cook of the Veluz family living in Dasmariñas. A Veluz son, Gian Veluz, is a fourth-year law student at San Beda Alabang, according to the police, but is not yet considered a suspect.
Andrei’s family members believe he was undergoing initiation rites by the Lex Leonum fraternity composed of San Beda law students.
Marcos was the second reported death from alleged hazing in the San Beda Law community in this year alone. Marvin Reglos, 25, died last year allegedly after a violent hazing ritual by members of the Lambda Rho Beta fraternity.
Family didn’t know about fraternity
A first-year law student at San Beda College, Marcos had told his family he was going to work on a class project last Saturday. When Sunday night arrived and Marcos had not come home, his family began to worry.
His aunt said she contacted Globe telecom to try and trace Marcos’ whereabouts.
“Ako ang nakapangalan doon sa line na na kay Andrei, so I explained to Globe kung ano ‘yung circumstance and they gave me the information doon sa nacontact niya noong Friday and Saturday, so they gave us a number and we called that number,” said Marimir Marcos Rivera.
Rivera said that it appeared the number belonged to a student of San Beda, who promised them he would find out what happened to Marcos.
Two hours later, the family received a text message from a supposed batchmate of Marcos. They were informed that Marcos’ condition was stable, but they were not told where he was. Instead, they were instructed to meet with them the next day at a fastfood chain in Manila.
“Noong first na nakausap nung kapatid ko, there were talks about a possible joining of a fraternity. When we talked to this other person, this batch mate, ayaw ibigay ang information kung saang hospital,” Rivera said.
At 3 p.m. on Monday, the family met with two supposed batchmates of Marcos, who confirmed he had gone through initiation rites.
“Ang sabi nila kasama nila si Andrei sa initiation. Piniga namin sila, kailangan mapiga pa yung information from them… They were emphasizing that we should be cooperating with them for the sake of Andrei,” Rivera said.
But it was too late. From the DLSU Medical Center in Dasmariñas, Cavite, Marcos’ body was immediately brought to the Philippine National Police crime laboratory, where an autopsy was done. The official results have not yet been released, but according to a relative of Marcos who had seen the body, it appeared he suffered heavy blows.
San Beda College has yet to release an official statement on the matter, but officials from the San Beda Law Student Government condemned the incident.
“We condemn violence in San Beda and that is why the Law Student Government and the San Beda College of Law administration will fully cooperate with any investigation that will bring light to this matter,” said Aubin Nieva, president of the San Beda Law Student Government.
After the autopsy, Marcos’ remains were brought to Ramos, Tarlac, for a private burial. The San Beda Law Student Government earlier requested that the body be brought to San Beda, but they were refused by Marcos’ father, the Unang Balita report said.
While investigators have not confirmed which fraternity conducted the initiation rites, Marcos’ family appealed for any of its members to come forward.
“It pains us more not knowing what they had done to Andrei. Ang masakit po sa amin, pinabayaan po si Andrei. Iniwanan sa hospital nang mag-isa. And he was not given the attention that he should have had, had his family been at the hospital with him,” said Rivera.
“Any useful info will be greatly appreciated and we will absolutely protect you,” tweeted Marcos’ brother Mervin on Tuesday.
Ibarra said a female is in the custody of the Cavite police, and is currently being investigated by authorities. (MNS)
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