MANILA — Horacio Castillo, Jr. and Carmina Castillo were back at the Manila Regional Trial Court on Wednesday for the hearing on the case of their son Horacio "Atio" Castillo III, who allegedly died of hazing in the hands of members of the Aegis Juris fraternity in 2017.

It has been six years since Atio's death, and five years since the trial opened.

Despite the number of years that had passed since the harrowing incident, Carmina said they remain to be in the process of "rebuilding" their home.

"Iyong nakita namin iyong anak namin sa morgue, he was double the size. Talagang magang-maga iyong katawan niya... Iyon iyong hanggang ngayon, naaalala ko. Iyon iyong point na nagiba iyong bahay namin," she told ABS-CBN News.

"Now, natatanggap ko na na nakikita ko iyong anak ko na in a picture who's smiling, at least kahit papaano nawawala iyong pag-iisip na namatay siya," she added.

Carmina said it was only last year when she began eating ice cream again. The food was Atio's favorite and it always reminds her of him.

"Like now, we could get to eat ice cream. For a long time, hindi ko kayang kumain ng ice cream," she shared.

Horacio couldn't help but recount how the last six years changed what they call "home."

"I'd like to illustrate it like a home. Meron kaming bahay - a house. Tapos, iyong bahay na iyon, suddenly parang nagiba. We went through a lot. And ngayon, we're in the process of rebuilding. Ginagawa namin uli iyan. We can now maybe say na we call it a home again," he said.

Horacio called on fraternities and groups to "come together" so they may end the "culture" of hazing, and consequently, end the sufferings of families.

• Deaths Caused by Hazing
• Duterte signs law that bans hazing in all forms

"Doon sa case ng anak namin, si Atio, 10 po iyong nakakulong. Pag Anti-Hazing (Act) po iyan, walang bail. Habang dinidinig ang kaso, nakakulong po sila," he said.

"Nakakulong po sila kasi meron po silang ginawang mali. Pero, in the end, iyong pamilya rin po nila ang dito nagsa-suffer. Not only us, but also them. So to avoid all of this, I encourage all fraternities: let's come together, pag-usapan po natin. Maalis na po iyan, iyong mga death-related sa hazing activities. Please, let's stop it."

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Government agencies can help in ending hazing, said Carmina.

"We can also ask the help of our Justice secretary, and also the DILG, the Department of Education, the CHED. Let's sit down and talk about this. That's the only way how to eliminate hazing. It has to come from inside the frat, they themselves how to change it," she said.

Judge Jose Bautista Jr., father of another hazing victim in De La Salle University who incurred bruises and mental violence just this year, said Adamson University student John Matthew Salilig's death "is another big blow to the Anti-Hazing Law".

• Chemical engineering student dies in alleged hazing

"Hazing is an act of power-tripping and control over others. Hazing is premeditated and not accidental. Hazing is abusive, degrading and sometimes life-threatening," he told ABS-CBN News.

"Alpha Phi Omega fraternity will take the lead in supporting the Anti-Hazing Law. Taus pusong nakikiramay po ako sa mga magulang ni Matthew."

Aurelio Servando, father of Guillo Servando who also allegedly died of hazing in 2014, is saddened "that the fraternity, Tau Gamma Phi, whose hazing tradition, killed my son, Guillo, has reportedly killed another".

"Their leaders and founders made a pledge to me they will stop the evil practice. But, obviously, they were empty words from empty men. These leaders, who are revered by their members, ought to come up with the strongest denouncements and actions if there is still some humanity left in them. They have created and continue to feed a monster," he said.

• Tau Gamma urged to condemn hazing after Salilig's death

"Alumni in high places should be ashamed of their association with the group and severe ties, and not benefit from them. Including a former Senator, who I personally confronted on the Senate floor, and his celebrity stepson, and countless others, ought to wake up. If they can use their fame to push a product, it's about time they go all out against a heinous practice that has brought so much pain to far too many families," he added.

"Please don't make me regret giving ur brods a second life, though they cut my son's at 18 years. 'Hazing' is evil. No question about it. Those who practice it are the evilest of men, next to plunderers."

Based on data gathered by the ABS-CBN Investigative and Research Group from news reports and records from the Supreme Court, Senate, and House of Representatives, "at least 58 people have died allegedly due to hazing or initiation rites of fraternities and training institutions since 1954, the year when the first hazing victim was reported."

"Tau Gamma Phi is allegedly involved in the highest number of hazing deaths with 15 victims, followed by Alpha Phi Omega with six victims," the research group said.

Meanwhile, in a statement, Jandeil Roperos, president of the National Union of Students of the Philippines, called for "swift justice" for Salilig's death.

"If the government really wants our students to be safe, they'd take steps to ensure it... Schools are a microcosm of society. We must do away with the machismo that enables violence both inside and outside our campuses," she said.

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