Sen. Bam Aquino urged the Aegis Juris fraternity, especially John Paul Solano, to name names and cooperate in the police investigation on the death of first-year University of Santo Tomas law student Horacio Castillo III.
“Makukuha ang hustisya kung maibibigay niyo ang impormasyon as soon as possible. The sooner that you’re able to provide this, the sooner the PNP can find the suspects, the sooner the Castillos will find justice,” Sen. Bam told the fraternity during the hearing of the Committee on Public Order on Castillo’s death.
Sen. Bam urged Solano and his lawyer to give the names of the people who accompanied him when he brought Castillo to the Chinese General Hospital so the PNP can pursue them. The son of the owner of one of the vehicles has already fled the country
“Habang nagtatagal tayo, habang iniimbestigahan pa ng PNP ang mga numero ng alumni. We’re hoping that you can provide the information as soon as you can para makuha na ng mga Castillo ang hinihingi nilang hustisya at makulong ang mga sangkot dito,” said Sen. Bam.
It was also learned that members of the Aegis Juris officials learned of Castillo’s death even before his parents, Sen. Bam urged the fraternity to provide names. “If the alumni truly want to cooperate, they should be willing to tell us kung saan nanggaling ang mga impormasyon na iyan so the PNP can trace it back,” said Sen. Bam.
During the hearing, Castillo’s parents told Sen. Bam that he first learned of his son’s death only on Monday morning. Nilo Divina, dean of the UST Faculty of Civil Law, informed the senator that he found out about the death Sunday afternoon.
According to Divina, he received a call from the faculty secretary, lawyer Arthur Capili, on Sunday afternoon about an unconfirmed report on the death of a neophyte member of the fraternity. Divina said he received another call from Capili around 6 p.m., confirming Castillo’s death.
Capili, for his part, said he received the call from a person, whose name he revealed to the PNP following Sen. Bam’s prodding.
Meanwhile, Sen. Bam expects all senators to come in unison in amending and improving the Anti-Hazing Law, saying that these senseless and needless deaths should be stopped and no other young life should be wasted on the barbaric, cruel and heartless practice of hazing. | Senate
