Senate hearing set on Castillo hazing case

A SUSPECT in the murder of fraternity recruit Horacio Castillo III will face a Senate inquiry scheduled Monday night, Sept. 25.

John Paul Solano of the Aegis Juris fraternity, who surrendered to staff members of Senator Panfilo M. Lacson last Friday, maintained that he did not know Mr. Castillo after contradicting himself earlier as to how he found the slain law student.

“I don’t know him. We only met just twice. The first time is when he told his name. Second, when the incident happened,” Mr. Solano said in an interview with reporters last Friday.

Mr. Lacson has since handed over Mr. Solano to the custody of the Manila Police District (MPD). In an interview with dzBB on Sunday, the senator said: “Kung di niya babaguhin ‘yan at may independent na ebidensya na magpapatunay na mali ang sinabi niya noong una, talagang itatrato siyang suspect o akusado dahil di siya mag-qualify, dahil di siya naging makatotohanan sa kanyang pahayag na binigay sa investigator at pati sa prosecutor.” (If he doesn’t change [his statement] and there’s independent evidence showing that his initial account was wrong, he would really be treated as a suspect or an accused because he did not qualify, because he was not truthful about what he told the investigator and also the prosecutor.)

Also invited to today’s inquiry are Dean Nilo T. Divina of the Faculty of Law at the University of Sto. Tomas and 16 other members of the fraternity

Mr. Castillo’s parents, Horacio, Jr. and Carmina, who went to the MPD on Sunday to meet with Mr. Solano, are also invited to the inquiry.

Another suspect in the killing, Ralph Caballes Trangia, had left the country last Tuesday, Sept. 19. — M.M. Banzon with