“The pang of conscience is the thin line that separates men from beasts. Young Marc gives me hope because his young conscience made him tell the truth and free himself from the sinister code of silence to cover up the crime within the walls of the Aegis Jvris den called the Library,” said Senator Juan Miguel F. Zubiri.
Ventura is the second Aegis Jvris member who spoke on the killing of Atio Castillo, after John Paul Solano, a medical technologist not currently enrolled at the University of Santo Tomas.
“It must have been a battle that Marc fought in his mind and heart through all these days while the Senate investigated, his frat brods lied and lawyers conjured smokescreens to save their skins. I note with high regard that Marc won the fight from being a coward to one who fearlessly stared at the truth and preferred to be part of the light instead of the dark lies.”
“It is a welcome development to the case and brings us one step closer to Justice for Atio and his family,” said Zubiri. Marc Ventura had voluntarily submitted himself to the Department of Justice accompanied by his mother and lawyer. He submitted a statement that told events and specific acts about more frat brods and non-members who played roles in the darkness of September 17 leading to the killing of Atio Castillo.
“The narration rendered by Marc showed the frat brods were relentless in inflicting pain and injury. What they did were not symbolic acts of initiation into brotherhood or tests of character. Each paddle whack, each punch and each candle wax drip had built into deathly blows from which no one could have emerged a whole person physically, emotionally and mentally. Atio was a whole man before he underwent hazing, and came out of it a broken mass in pain.”
Zubiri filed Resolution No. 504 which initiated the Senate inquiry which can draw recommendations for government agencies concerned and amendments of the Anti-Hazing Law. (Senate)
