(Eagle News) — Police on Monday filed criminal charges against John Paul Solano and 17 others in connection with the death of Horacio Castillo III.
Solano, who surrendered to Senator Panfilo Lacson on Friday and was later turned over to the Manila Police District, is facing charges for murder, perjury, obstruction of justice, robbery and violation of the Anti-Hazing Law.
Also charged with murder, robbery and violation of the Anti-Hazing Law were Antonio Trangia, Ralph Trangia, Arvin Balag, Mhin Wei Chan, Ranie Rafael Santiago, Jason Adolfo Robinos, Oliver John Audrey Onofre, Karl Matthew Villanueva, Danielle Hans Matthew Rodrigo, Axel Mundo Hipe, Joshua Joriel Macabali, Marc Anthony Ventura, Aeron Salientes, Marcelino Bagtang, Zimon Padro, Jose Miguel Salamat, and “several unidentified members” of the Aegis Juris fraternity which police believed performed the hazing rites that ended in Castillo’s death last week.
Charged with obstruction of justice was Rosemarie Trangia.
Inquest
Of all the 18 charged, only Solano faced inquest proceedings at the Department of Justice because the remaining have yet to surface, or are not in police custody.
Ralph, an official of the fraternity, and his mother Rosemarie are believed to have left for the United States on Sept. 19.
Antonio Trangia, the registered owner of the pickup that was used to take Castillo to the hospital, has sent surrender feelers, but has not yet surfaced.
Charges were still filed against Salientes even if he surfaced on Friday, and told National Bureau of Investigation authorities that he was in Pampanga when the hazing rites supposedly took place.
At that time, he was not detained as he was only named a “person of interest.”
Mala in se, mala prohibita
Paterno Esmaquel, Solano’s lawyer, said they would ask for the dismissal of the charges against his client.
“Why the dismissal? The charges filed are mala in se, mala prohibita. According to the (Supreme Court), there can be no such complex crime,” he said, referring to the charges filed against Solano.
He added his client was illegally detained because he is not the subject of a warrantless arrest.
“In praying for his immediate release from the custody and detention of the MPD, the herein respondent is merely exercising his constitutional right against unlawful arrest. The herein respondent does not have any intention to escape or flee from justice,” his motion read.
Authorities said Castillo died of a heart attack due to massive trauma from the injuries he sustained from the hazing rites.
Solano has insisted he never participated in the rites, and was merely called upon by members of the fraternity to provide medical assistance to the “half-dead” Castillo.
He admitted, however, to lying to the police in the initial stages of their investigation.
Solano earlier claimed he found Castillo’s body in a street corner in Manila.
Barangay 133 officials disputed this account, noting that footage from a closed-circuit television camera in the area showed there was no body there at the time Solano said he made the discovery.
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