MANILA, Philippines—The body of a teenager was found Wednesday morning stuffed inside a plastic drum by the Pasig River near the Parola compound in Binondo, Manila.

Noel Borja, 17, an Alternative Learning Systems student, was believed to have died from violent initiation rites at the compound conducted by the Tau Gamma Phi fraternity on Oct. 24.

Police said around 10 persons could have been involved in the hazing and the dumping of the body in the river.

Nilo Abarratigue, 19, from Parola, survived the initiation rites with contusions on his thigh.

Abarratigue told police that he and Borja endured the tough initiation rites, including receiving 60 paddle whacks at the back of their thighs. They were also punched for at least 60 seconds, he added.

After the rites, while he and Borja took a break, the latter suddenly collapsed, Abarratigue said.

Fraternity members, who Abarratigue could not identify, then bound Borja’s feet with plastic straw. Abarratigue said he also saw them mixing cement and sand.

After falling asleep, he said he woke up after midnight on Oct. 25. Borja was nowhere to be found, he told police.

Borja’s body was discovered Wednesday inside a drum filled with cement by two children scavenging for plastic along the Pasig River.

The victim, who wore a black shirt and denim pants, was found with a stab wound on his left shoulder. His feet were bound.

A member of the fraternity, Hernan Palacio, 28, showed up at police headquarters Wednesday, but refused to be interviewed.

Manila Police District spokesman Maj. Erwin Margarejo said Palacio claimed he was taking responsibility for the incident, as chapter head of the fraternity.

He remained in the custody of the MPD homicide section.
The still unidentified suspects will be charged with violation of the Anti-Hazing Law, case investigator Senior Police Officer 3 Paul Dennis Javier said.