(Eagle News) — Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 40 Judge Alfonso Ampuan Jr. has inhibited himself from the Horacio Castillo III hazing case.
Ampuan said he found it “appropriate” to grant the motion to inhibit of accused John Robin Ramos and Juan Miguel Salamat because they and their respective counsels “already nurtured any (bias at) the back of their minds the thought that the Presiding Judge of this Court has now tilted the scales of justice against them.”
Ampuan made the decision even if he noted that “mere imputations or bias is not enough ground for inhibition.”
“Extrinsic evidence must be presented to establish bias, bad faith, malice or corrupt purpose in addition to palpable error which may be inferred from the decision or order,” he said.
Following the decision, the case involving the members of the Aegis Juris fraternity was raffled to another branch.
Apart from Salamat and Ramos, Mhin Wei Chan, Jose Miguel Salamat, John Robin G. Ramos, Marcelino Bagtang Jr., Arvin A. Balag, Ralph Trangia, Axel Munro Hipe, Oliver Onofre, Joshua Joriel Macabali, and Hans Matthew Rodrigo have been charged in connection with the death of Castillo, then a University of Sto. Tomas law freshman student.
Castillo died from injuries sustained in hazing rites allegedly conducted by the Aegis Juris fraternity.