The Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) on Thursday clarified that it has investigated the case of the 20-year-old marine engineering student from the University of Cebu, who allegedly died due to fraternity hazing in December last year.
The clarification comes after Leny Baguio, mother of the victim identified as Ronnel Baguio, sought legal aid from the Public Attorney's Office (PAO) amid the recently reported hazing incident involving an Adamson University student.
In a press conference on Wednesday, the mother recounted that Ronnel's roommate rushed him to the hospital after a fraternity initiation on December 18, 2022, but he was pronounced dead the next day. She said her son is a member of the Tau Gamma Phi fraternity.
In a report by MyTV Cebu, CCPO said the complaints are ready to be filed against the suspects responsible for Ronnel's death. However, the victim's relatives have yet to return to Cebu.
"The mother of the victim, Leny Baguio, flew from Bataan to Cebu but she was not able to meet the victim alive. They brought the body of Ronnel to Bataan," MyTV Cebu said quoting the medico-legal report by CCPO.
The CCPO also failed to secure the witness because he reportedly went home to Negros.
"Nahihirapan po kaming mag-file kasi wala po 'yung nanay at taga-Negros din po yung witness namin," CCPO Police Colonel Ireneo Dalogdog as quoted by MyTV Cebu.
Dalogdog also said that one suspect showed up to the Cebu police, and confessed that he invited Ronnel to join the fraternity.
According to CCPO's initial investigation, the 20-year-old student suffered "severe acute respiratory distress syndrome secondary to indirect lung injury" which caused his tragic death.
The mother came forward following a similar incident with a third-year Chemical Engineering student from Adamson University, John Matthew Salilig, whose remains were found in a vacant lot in Imus, Cavite on February 28.
