MANILA, Philippines – The family of the University of Makati student who died in an alleged initiation rite sought the help of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) Tuesday in seeking justice for their loved one after the hazing case against four members of the Alpha Phi Omega (APO) fraternity was junked by a local court in Makati City.

Oscar Intia, father of EJ Karl, 19, who reportedly died during initiation rites of the APO fraternity last month in Barangay San Antonio, decried the dismissal of the case against the APO fraternity members who were charged in the case. He said this prodded him to seek the help of the CHR and even the Crusade against Violence for the resolution of the case.

On Wednesday, he is also set to ask the help of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) also on the same case.

The four APO members linked to the case are John Marin and Michael Pagulayan, both 19 years old; Rosel Wenceslao, 18, all students of University of Makati; and Rico Mansalapus, 31, a graduate of the same school.

A minor charged in the case was taken to the Department of Social Welfare Development (DSWD).

In an order, Makati Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 57 Judge Honorio Guanlao dismissed the hazing case against the four, citing that “the court finds there is no sufficient ground to engender a well-founded belief that the aforementioned crime… thus the prosecution failed to establish the existence of probable cause.” 

The suspects were released from prison last Friday, the same day the order was issued. 

“Why are they saying that there is no probable cause in the case, my son is dead… The family will do the best we can to obtain justice for EJ Karl,” Intia said.

Karl’s body was discovered last Aug. 15 in a ravine in Laguna.

When found, the body bore serious bruises on the legs which police suspected was due to “paddling."

Despite the difficulties, Intia said he remained optimistic that the case against the suspects will progress because of the help the family gets from concerned people, saying, “I am not losing hope but have to move forward.”

He admitted that the family is at a loss on what to do. (Anna Liza T. Villas)