MANILA, Philippines – Malacañang denounced Friday, September 22, the killing of University of Santo Tomas law student Horacio Castillo III. 

“We strongly condemn the senseless killing of Horacio Castillo III,” said Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella during a Palace press briefing.

He gave assurances that government will help ferret out the truth in his killing, thought to be a result of hazing during fraternity initiation rites.

“Government agencies are now conducting an investigation on the matter,” said Abella.

Castillo was the freshman law student of the University of Santo Tomas who died after being subjected to hazing rites of the Aegis Juris fraternity. His parents believe his death was due to injuries sustained during the hazing.

He was declared dead on arrival when his body was brought to the Chinese General Hospital on Sunday morning, September 17. 

Earlier, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II  offered state protection to the witnesses in the killing of Castillo. “If they want to tell the truth or clear their names they can come to my office and we will place them under the WPP (Witness Protection Program),” Aguirre said on Friday, September 22.

The Manila Police District (MPD) on Wednesday, September 20, named 3 suspects in the killing. Among them was John Paul Solano, the person who claimed to have found Castillo wrapped in a blanket on a pavement in Balut, Tondo, Manila, and brought him to the hospital. 

MPD spokesperson Supt. Erwin Margarejo said in a DZMM interview said that Solano “deliberately misled” authorities when he said he found Castillo’s body in Tondo and when he did not disclose that he himself was a member of Aegis Juris fraternity. 

Margarejo said barangay officials in Balut, Tondo, Manila, submitted sworn statements which “attested that their CCTVs did not record a body in their street on the day mentioned by Solano.”

A second suspect, Ralph Trangia, identified by the MPD as an officer of the Aegis Juris, has reportedly left for Taipei on Tuesday, September 19. Philippine National Police chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa said he will seek the cancellation of the Ralph’s passport to force him to return to the country.

The third suspect is Ralph’s father, Antonio, who was found to be the registered owner of the red Mitsubishi Strada that brought Castillo to the Chinese General Hospital on Sunday morning, September 18. Solano had claimed he just flagged down the vehicle to bring Castillo to the hospital.

 Meanwhile, the DOJ placed 16 members of the Aegis Juris on the immigration lookout on Wednesday, September 20. – Rappler.com