Senators eye accountability of Divina, UST in Atio’s fate
Senators believe that officials of the University of the Santo Tomas (UST), including law school dean and Aegis Juris alumnus Atty. Nilo Divina, should also be held accountable for the killing of their student Horacio “Atio” Castillo III.
Several senators during the resumption of investigation on the fatal hazing of Castillo Wednesday raised suspicions on Divina, who repeatedly denied having knowledge of the initiation rites of his fraternity or the attempt of his fraternity brothers to cover up those involved.
Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero, in a press briefing at the Senate Thursday, said it is “impossible” that Divina is unaware of the incident as the name of former Isabela congressman Edwin Uy cropped up in the Facebook conversation of Aegis Juris alumni and members in plotting their supposed cover-up.
Uy is Divina’s “senior partner” in his law firm Divina Law, according to its website.
Escudero, a lawyer himself, said the chat group may even be used as “circumstantial evidence” against the cases filed by Castillo’s parents against him when Uy could have informed him.
Divina repeated that he only learned of the murder through his faculty secretary whom, he said, gave very little details and, thus, his failure to inform Castillo’s parents.
This testimony, according to Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri, was “hard to believe.”
At the hearing of the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs, Sen. Grace Poe urged Divina to take a leave from his deanship in UST pending the investigation of the case.
Poe cited a “conflict of interest” in Divina’s capacity as head of the Faculty of Civil Law and counsel for the university. The UST engaged the services of Divina’s law firm, a fact he did not deny.
But Divina refused the suggestion raised by Poe, saying he maintains his “neutrality” as he had already “kept distance” from Aegis Juris since ac- cepting his job as dean.
“This is one incident that we are trying to resolve, I don’t think it has a bearing on my competence as the dean, as professor, and academician,” he added.
Both Escudero and Poe said that UST officials, like the Aegis Juris members, may also be protecting those who killed Castillo.
“Sang-ayon sa Anti-Hazing Law, may liability din ang administrasyon at school authorities dahil dapat alam nila. Kailangan may school representative na present sa initiation rites. At the very least kapabayaan ito sa parte ng administration officials ng UST, hindi lang kapabayaan, marahil nga pwedeng kasabwat pa sila,” Escudero said.
“Maaring sangkot talaga dito ang UST dahil estudyante nila ang napahamak,” Poe claimed.
Sen. Joel Villanueva, for his part, questioned Divina for his inaction over the supposed “promotion” of the Aegis Juris in the Civil Law website despite its non-accreditation, and the recent killing. Divina, likewise, is being promoted by the fraternity as its member.
Castillo’s mother Carminia told senators that her son was enticed to join the Aegis Juris due to Divina’s connection to the fraternity.
Speaking to reporters, Divina reiterated his innocence in the incident amid his inclusion in the murder Anti-Hazing Law complaint.
“I will be preparing the counter affidavit. You know one thing that is clearly established in this proceeding. I have no liability, I have no culpability. I have no knowledge prior to this incident and I was not party to any cover up so there’s no way that I could be liable,” Divina said.
Senator Panfilo Lacson, meanwhile, hit UST for allowing flunking Aegis Juris members, including those implicated in Castillo’s death, to enroll for the next semester.