“Nakuha na lahat ‘yung pangalan nung 17 at ngayon ay hinahanap na sila,” Maranan said in an interview with reporters.
(All the names of the 17 have been obtained and they are now being sought.)
They may face charges for violating Republic Act 11053 or the Anti-Hazing Law and may be penalized with lifetime imprisonment.
The police official said the sports utility vehicle allegedly used by the suspects to dispose of Salilig’s body has already been recovered by virtue of a search warrant.
After one of the alleged suspects made a confession, Salilig’s body was discovered buried in a remote area in Imus, Cavite on Tuesday, February 28. He had been missing for 10 days since attending an initiation rights of Tau Gamma Phi in Biñan, Laguna.
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla has ordered the National Bureau of Investigation to conduct a parallel investigation on the incident.
The PNP has recorded a total of 178 incidents of hazing law violations since 2012.
Maranan reported that the highest number of cases occurred in 2019 with 30 incidents, while the lowest was in 2022 with five. (SunStar Philippines)