Atio Castillo camp to include UST Law dean Divina in hazing death case

The parents of Horacio Castillo III will include University of Santo Tomas (UST) Faculty of Civil Law dean Nilo Divina and other school officials in the criminal complaint involving the hazing death of the freshman law student, according to their lawyer on Wednesday. 

Lorna Kapunan, counsel for spouses Horacio II and Carminia Castillo, disclosed the plan to file a supplemental complaint affidavit at the start of the preliminary investigation on the criminal complaint called by the Department of Justice (DOJ).

Kapunan said Divina appeared to have admitted during the Senate inquiry on September 25 that he was aware about Castillo's hazing on September 17 even before everyone knew. The dean also allegedly did not act on it.

GMA News Online has sought the comment of Divina who has yet to respond as of posting time.

Under Section 4 of the Anti-Hazing Law (Republic Act 8049), the school authorities including faculty members who consent to the hazing or who have actual knowledge but failed to take any action to prevent the same from happening "shall be punished as accomplices for the acts of hazing committed by the perpetrators."

Divina earlier said UST cannot be held liable for Castillo's death, claiming the university maintains a "very strict" anti-hazing policy, the incident happened outside the school premises, and the Aegis Juris fraternity is not an accredited school organization.

Apart from the Castillos, complainant Manila Police District (MPD) manifested before the three-man panel of prosecutors led by Assistant State Prosecutor Susan Villanueva that they would file additional evidence.

DOJ kicks off preliminary probe into criminal complaint involving hazing death of Atio Castillo. Suspect John Paul Solano present. @gmanews pic.twitter.com/RRBniDGwxh

— Virgil Lopez (@virgillopez) October 4, 2017

The submission of supplemental complaint affidavit and additional evidence was set for the next hearing on October 9.

The respondents, in turn, will submit their respective counter-affidavits on October 24.

Three of the 18 respondents failed to attend the hearing.

John Paul Solano, who claimed to have brought Castillo to the hospital, and Aegis member Jason Adolfo Robiños, appeared at the hearing while 13 other respondents were represented by counsel.

During the hearing, Solano's camp asked the DOJ to strike out from the records the judicial affidavit of Solano dated September 17 for being a falsified document.

Solano's lawyer, Paterno Esmaquel, said the 27-year-old never appeared before Police Senior Inspector Rommel Anicete to subscribe under his oath his judicial affidavit.

"All told, it is a plain and simple falsification of public document and/or submission of false testimony and/or perjury for the complainants to submit and use as evidence in the instant complaints the said falsified judicial affidavit of the herein respondent," the motion stated.

Of the 18 respondents, 16 individuals, most them officials and members of Aegis Juris fraternity, are facing a complaint for murder, robbery and violation of the Anti-Hazing Law.

Rosemarie Trangia, mother of co-respondent Ralph Trangia, is accused of obstruction of justice while Solano is charged with murder, perjury, obstruction of justice, robbery and violation of the Anti-Hazing Law.

Castillo, who died following initiation rites of the Aegis Juris fraternity on September 17, was laid to rest on September 27. — RSJ, GMA News