Student files hazing raps vs CEU professor

A Manila City prosecutor recommended yesterday a bail bond of P20,000 against a nursing professor for allegedly inflicting bodily harm on a student last year.

Manila Assistant City Prosecutor Viven Andino upheld a complaint against Cesar Dalilag, a professor at the College of Nursing-Centro Escolar University (CEU), who reportedly belongs to the APO fraternity.

Benedicto Sta. Teresa III, 20, a second year nursing student, charged Dalilag with violating Republic Act 8049 or the anti-hazing law. Andino found probable cause to indict Dalilag.

According to court records, Sta. Teresa was allegedly recruited to join the fraternity on Oct. 11, 2002 and undergo initiation rites. He participated in the initial ceremony, which was held in Tagaytay, and as a result suffered injuries and almost died.

The painful experience prompted Sta. Teresa to transfer to Emilio Aguinaldo College to avoid his fraternity brothers.

However, at around 6 a.m. on March 4, 2006, he was on board his Mazda Familia and traveling along Eloriaga Street when some fraternity members – identified only as “Miko,” “Eddie,” and “Lan” – allegedly blocked his path and boarded his vehicle.

The three men reportedly tried to convince him to finish the final stages of the initiation that would make him a full-fledged APO member. They commandeered the vehicle and brought him in front of the CEU dentistry building.

Sta. Teresa said he saw Dalilag, who instructed them to bring the complainant to their meeting area. They traveled for about four hours and when he inquired their whereabouts, they replied they were in a resort in Bataan.

He was taken to a room and at around 9 p.m., he was escorted to a meeting room, where he was allegedly beaten by Dalilag and the three men, as well as a certain Noel and other unidentified persons. The extent of the beatings made him lost consciousness.

Sta. Teresa said he woke up in his car, his whole body in pain. At 11 a.m. on March 6, he went to his aunt, Glendora Paterno, a nurse at the Paco Health Center in Manila.

He was brought to the Ospital ng Maynila, where doctors said the victim suffered contusions, hematoma, and abrasions on different parts of his body. The doctors later filed a report with the Manila Police District.