MANILA, Philippines – The Manila Metropolitan Trial Court Branch 14 on Monday found John Paul Solano, a member of the Aegis Juris Fraternity, guilty of obstruction of justice in the hazing-related death of University of Santo Tomas freshman law student Horacio “Atio” Castillo III.
Solano was sentenced to up to four years in prison for issuing two affidavits on how Castillo rushed to hospital after the fraternity’s initiation rites.
Solano was the one who brought Castillo to the Chinese General Hospital.
Castillo, however succumbed to various injuries while undergoing treatment.
In his first affidavit executed before the Manila Police District (MPD) on September 17, 2017, he said he does not know the Aegis Juris fraternity neophyte and only found the lying on the side of a street in Tondo, Manila and decided to bring him to hospital.
This runs counter to his second sworn statement which said he was asked by fraternity members to bring Castillo to hospital after collapsing during pre-dawn initiation rites at the fraternity library last September 17, 2017.
Other members of the fraternity are facing homicide charges and violation of the Anti-Hazing Law. (Editor: Gilbert S. Gaviola)