The Senate on Wednesday revealed in public the testimony of Aegis Juris fratman John Paul Solano, the prime suspect in the death Horacio “Atio” Castillo III, which implicated six fraternity “brothers” in the fatal hazing.

The Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs, at the resumption of their probe, pushed through with the public disclosure of the information given to them by Solano during an executive session last September 25.

The disclosure was made after senators were obviously irritated at what they deemed as Solano’s delaying tactics.

Solano pleaded to the senators to reconsider the resolution authorizing the release of his confession given in the executive session.

In a three-page letter, Solano denied any fault over his non-filing of his sworn affidavits at the Department of Justice (DOJ) despite two preliminary investigations that were held already.

Solano said he was “willing and ready” to submit his sworn statements in reply to the murder, perjury, obstruction of justice, robbery, and violation of anti-hazing law cases against him and the other suspects but decided to defer after Castillo’s parents announced the filing supplemental cases “without prior notice.”

“Had the complainants did not request for time to file supplemental complaints, I have already filed before the honorable panel of prosecutors on October 4, 2017 my counter-affidavit and the affidavits of my witnesses as well as the evidence,” Solano emphasized in his appeal.

Solano’s camp assured the submission of the requested affidavit on the next preliminary investigations on October 24 and October 30.

But this did not sit well with senators, who believed Solano has been “disrespecting” the Senate for his delaying tactics. In view of this, Senator Panfilo Lacson, chairman of the Public Order Committee, denied Solano’s appeal.

In his September 25 confession, Solano said Aegis Juris was only asked to respond to an unconscious Castillo in the morning of September 17.

Solano recalled that at around 6:30 a.m., Oliver John “OJ” Onofre called and asked him to go to their fraternity library, or “frat lib” near the University of the Santo Tomas (UST) campus in Sampaloc, Manila. He declined at first as he was supposed to work in his father’s clinic in that same morning. But he was prompted to go when Onofre told him someone had collapsed.

Upon arrival at the frat lib some two hours later, Solano said he was greeted by Axel Hipe, who “opened the door” for him. He then found inside Aegis Juris “grand prefectus” (GP) Arvin Balag, member Mark Anthony Ventura, and 22-year-old Castillo, who lay unconscious on the floor.

He also mentioned a certain “Zach” and “Dan” whom his brothers also called to come at the frat lib. Lacson later identified them as Zachary Abolencia and Daniel Ragos.

Solano said he tried to wake Castillo up by calling him by the name “Hor” and slapping him. At that time, he recalled that Castillo had “very little” pupils and was no longer breathing, so he decided to administer cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR), which failed, as he did not get a response.

The people Solano named, except for Abolencia, are his co-respondents in the complaints filed before the DOJ and were invited by the Senate to appear in Wednesday’s hearing.

Balag, Onofre, Hipe, and Ventura attended the hearing but they refused to confirm Solano’s statements by invoking their right to self-incrimination.

Solano, however, spared Jason Robiños, who was reportedly confined for his diabetes at that time, and Ralph Trangia, who fled to Chicago, United States, after the hazing but returned later.

But Solano revealed that Trangia’s driver Romeo Laboga drove Castillo to the Chinese General Hospital (CGH) using a red Strada pick-up supposedly owned by his father Antonio Trangia.

Questioned by senators, Ralph Trangia denied being in the frat lib. He likewise denied his father’s ownership of the pick-up with license plate ZTU 529, despite the confirmation of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) that the vehicle was registered to his father.

Trangia’s parents Antonio and Rosemarie, appearing in the hearing, also invoked their right against self-incrimination when asked about ownership of the car and why they helped their son hide.

Other fraternity members summoned to the Senate hearing – Aeron Salientes, Mhin Wei Chan, Ranie Rafael Santiago, Zimon Padro, and Jose Miguel Salamat – also opted to invoke their right against self-incrimination.

But Salamat, Prado, and Robiños expressed willingness to undergo DNA testing to prove they were not in the frat lib during the hazing.

The Manila Police District (MPD) had earlier found paddles and forensic evidence such as body fluids, fibers, and fingerprints that could be used to identify those present during the fatal initiation rites.

Escape

In his confession, Solano admitted trying to evade arrest after hearing news reports that the MPD uncovered his “good Samaritan” story and started implicating him in the death of Castillo.

Solano said that he already sensed that authorities had already found out that he lied about his discovery of Castillo on a sidewalk in Balut, Tondo, last September 17 when he received a call from the MPD the next day.

“Nasa isip ko na kapag nagpunta ko doon, hindi ako makakabalik. Malamang custodial interrogation na itong mangyayari sa akin,” he said in his testimony in the executive session.

At the time he received the call from the MPD, he was in a mall in Pasay. Out of fear, he boarded a bus bound for Tarlac City, then to Pangasinan, and to a barrio, and slept on sidewalks, waiting sheds, and benches outside schools. He added that he stayed on the move to avoid being recognized by people.

Solano said he threw his phone along the way, when several unknown numbers were already calling him.

With P700 remaining in his wallet, Solano said he bought a cellphone and decided to contact “Tatay Divina,” referring to UST Civil Law Dean Nilo Divina, to say he was “tired” of running and hiding.

It was Divina to accompanied Solano in surrendering to Lacson.

Contempt

Meanwhile, the Senate cited in contempt Balag for his repeated refusal to answer questions.

Balag was pointed to by Solano the one who insisted on taking Castillo to the CGH and not the UST Hospital which is only 10-15 minutes away from the Aegis Juris frat lib. He was also believed to have driven the black Toyota Fortuner that led their convoy to the CGH.

Solano also said that it was Balag who ordered him to lie about his statements and be left at the CGH.

Balag did not confirm or deny Solano’s claims, opting to invoke his right against self-incrimination.

Lacson ordered Balag’s arrest when he refused to respond to Sen. Grace Poe’s question on what position he holds at the Aegis Juris. Poe cited several documents of the Aegis Juris with Balag’s signature as GP, or head of the fraternity.

“Nandyan na, tinatanggi mo pa…Why would it incriminate you?” Lacson told Balag, while reminding him that the senators are giving him a chance by undergoing an executive session.

In defense, Balag said his admission of his position in the Aegis Juris “is part of the element” of the cases filed against him. “Pasensya na po talaga,” he told Lacson.

But in the later part of the Senate inquiry, Balag apologized to the senators and admitted he is a member of the fraternity. His move was too late, however, as the public order panel was already bent on detaining him.

Lacson said Balag will be held at the Senate Office of the Sergeant At Arms (OSAA) until he speaks up on his involvement in Castillo’s death. The former police chief warned that Balag may be transferred to Pasay City Jail should he continue to resist.

Speaking to media after the hearing, Lacson said the right against self-incrimination was abused by resource persons who appeared Wednesday.

“They are protecting each other to the point maski ma-incriminate ang iba, ini-invoke pa rin nila right against self-incrimination. So if they stay that way, lahat sila talagang mapapahamak,” Lacson said.

Lacson said he would set another meeting and would subpoena other Aegis Juris members who failed to attend, as well as Trangia’s driver Laboga.

Source:
courtesy of MANILA BULLETIN

by Vanne Elaine Terrazola

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