MANILA, Philippines -- The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Wednesday filed obstruction of justice charges against a village official and three security guards for refusing to cooperate in the investigation of the death of suspected hazing victim Cris Anthony Mendez.

Charged at the Muntinlupa City Prosecutor’s Office were Manny Samson, manager of the Pacific Malayan Village in Cupang, Muntinlupa City and village security guards Ricardo Cordova, Ruel Arandilla and Cezar Porcadilla.

Lawyer Romulo Asis, chief of the NBI Anti-Terrorism Division, said they filed the charges after the four refused to let them serve subpoenas to Jose Andoni Santos, a University of the Philippines student and an alleged member of the Sigma Rho fraternity.

Santos was allegedly involved in the hazing activity that led to the death of Mendez.

Information gathered by the NBI disclosed that Santos was residing at No. 7 Delas Alas Drive, Pacific Malayan Village. But when an NBI team went to the said address to interview Santos, they were informed by a helper that Santos was not around.

The NBI said they attempted thrice to send Santos subpoenas requiring him to appear at the bureau and explain his alleged participation in the hazing activities. But Santos failed to appear each time.

The security guards, apparently on orders of Samson, repeatedly prevented the NBI team from entering the village or even accept the subpoenas on Santos' behalf. One time, the security guards even told the NBI team that Santos and his family had already left the country for Spain.

On September 14, an NBI agent served another subpoena, this time to Samson, requiring him to appear at the NBI on September 17 and to bring with him the official list of the homeowners of Pacific Malayan Village. But Arandilla and Porcadilla likewise prevented the NBI agent from entering the village and also refused to accept the subpoena apparently upon Samson's order.

Samson sent the NBI a letter claiming that he was not authorized to divulge any information regarding the homeowners' association records, Asis said.

On September 25, another subpoena was sent by the NBI to the respondents requiring them to appear at the bureau on September 28. Cordova reportedly received the subpoena but when he was asked by the NBI if Santos was in his house, the latter replied that the Santos family had already left for Spain and that their house was unattended.

However, on the same day, an NBI team went to the house of Santos and discovered that there were some activities and people inside, contrary to the claim the family had left the country.

Verification made with the NBI also showed that Santos had not left the country since June.

Samson, accompanied by his counsel, appeared before the NBI on October 26 but only to reiterate that he was not authorized to divulge any information regarding the homeowners association's records.