MANILA — A Senate panel on Wednesday bared the transcript of John Paul Solano, prime suspect in the hazing death of University of Santo Tomas law student Horacio “Atio” Castillo III, during an executive session last September 25.
In Solano’s transcript, he narrated the events which transpired from the day he found Atio dead on Sept. 17 onwards and named the Aegis Juris fraternity brothers who were present during the initiation rites.
According to Solano, Oliver Onofre, Arvin Balag, Mark Ventura, and Axel Hipe were among those who were at the initiation rites but they invoked their right against self-incrimination when questioned by senators during Wednesday’s hearing.
Solano said it was Arvin Balag, frat president, who asked him to bring Atio to the Chinese General Hospital in Sampaloc, Manila and lie about finding the victim on a sidewalk in Balut, Tondo.
He also named a certain Romeo Laboga, driver of frat brod Ralph Trangia, as having helped him bring Atio to the hospital.
Senator Panfilo Lacson, chair of the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs, moved to have Laboga invited to the next Senate hearing.
Also in his testimony, Solano said he told hospital medical staff the truth about what happened to Atio but he lied to police authorities.
Solano’s closed-door transcript was bared in a PowerPoint presentation after Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri moved to have it released.
The Senate earlier adopted a resolution that allows the committee chair to lift the ban on the confidentiality of the executive session.
Zubiri, a family friend of the Castillos, was one of the senators who actively pushed for an investigation on Atio’s death. (Azer Parrocha/PNA)
