John Paul Solano, one of the primary suspects in the death of University of Sto. Tomas law student hazing victim Horacio Castillo III takes his oath during the Senate inquiry on Castillo’s death, Monday. Some senators are now pushing for a total ban on hazing.(MNS photo)
MANILA, Sept 26 (Mabuhay) — Freshman law student Horacio Castillo III underwent hazing rites that cost his life at the office of the fraternity that recruited him, according to the Manila Police District (MPD).
Excerpts of the complaint filed by the MPD before the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Monday against 18 individuals indicated that the initiation rites were held at the Aegis Juris Foundation Office on Laon-Laan and Navarra Streets near the University of Santo Tomas (UST).
The complaint said the rites occurred between 12 midnight and 8 a.m. of September 17.
Witnesses said they heard some “unusual noise” from people apparently having a drinking session inside the Aegis headquarters.
Hours later, CCTV footage installed beside the Aegis Juris office showed that “a member was noticed hurriedly running towards the direction of the Aegis Juris office while another, [who] was observed busy using his cellular phone, appeared to be worried.”
The police said that based on CCTV footage, John Paul Solano was part of the convoy that brought Castillo from the Aegis Juris Foundation office to the Chinese General Hospital.
Solano earlier claimed he brought Castillo to the hospital after he saw the latter’s body on a sidewalk in Balut, Tondo.
“John Paul Solano, later established and confirmed to be also a member of the Aegis Juris Fraternity, concocted a fabricated story, disguised himself as a good Samaritan, to deliberately and maliciously mislead the police investigators to cover up the crime [that] was committed,” the complaint read.
Authorities had confirmed that Castillo, a student of the UST Faculty of Civil Law, died of a massive heart attack possibly due to the injuries he suffered from hazing.
Solano had adm
itted that he was a member of the fraternity, but said that he did not participate in the initiation rites of Castillo. (MNS)