Suspect in Castillo’s death surrenders to police
by Vince Ferreras
One of the primary suspects in the death of hazing victim Horacio Castillo III has surrendered to authorities on Friday, to prove his innocence.
John Paul Solano, a member of the Aegis Juris Fraternity, has turned himself in at the office of Sen. Panfilo Lacson at Taguig City this afternoon. Faculty of Civil Law Dean facilitated his surrender.
He is now under the custody of Manila Police District Homicide Division.
In a press briefing, Solano admitted that he is part of the fraternity but he denied his participation in the hazing.
“No, I wasn’t there (during the hazing),” he said. “My participation was to give medical assistance that time.”
Solano was contacted by the other members of Aegis Juris who were already in “chaos” to provide medical treatment to Castillo. He recalled that the law freshman student was “half dead” when he arrived.
Solano was a medical technology graduate of the University and he filed a leave of absence from his law studies to focus on his work.
When asked why he suddenly decided to surrender himself, he said that “it’s getting worse.”
“I want to clear my name, because I know myself that I am innocent.”
Solano earlier stated that he found the bruise-covered body of Castillo in a sidewalk in Tondo and rushed the latter in the Chinese General Hospital last Sunday.
“I would like to apologize for giving a false statement to the family [of Castillo],” he said.
The police filed perjury charges to Solano for giving a false statement.
Solano was one of the 15 members of Aegis Juris that were placed under the lookout order issued by Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre last Wednesday.
Others in the lookout list were Axel Munro Hipe, Arvin Balag, Mhin Wei Chang, Marc Anthony Ventura, Oliver John Onofre, Joshua Joriel Macabali, Jason Adolfo Robinos, Ralph Trangia, Ranie Rafael Santiago, Danielle Hans Rodrigo, Carl Matthew Villanueva, Aeron Salientes, Marcelino Bagtang, Zimon Padro, and Jose Miguel Salamat.
