Principal suspect in Atio Castillo hazing death apologizes to victim’s family

The principal suspect in the death of freshman law student Horacio Tomas "Atio" Castillo III apologized to the victim’s family Friday afternoon after he voluntarily surrendered to Senator Panfilo Lacson.

John Paul Solano was presented by University of Santo Tomas (UST) Civil Law Dean Nilo Divina to Lacson at the senator’s Taguig office. Lacson then turned over Solano to Manila Police District (MPD) director Chief Superintendent Joel Coronel.

In a press briefing, Solano said: “First and foremost, I would like to apologize for giving false statements for that matter, to the family of Atio and for the death of their son.”

“I would shed light to this matter through my Atty. They are preparing a statement for me,” he added.

Castillo, 22, did not return home after telling his parents he was attending an event held by the Aegis Juris fraternity on Saturday night. His body was brought by Solano to Chinese General Hospital on Sunday morning.

Solano admitted that he was a member of the fraternity, but said he did not participate in the initiation rites of Castillo.

“My involvement was to give medical assistance that time…Because they were in chaos at that time. I was not there. They needed medical assistance. I am a medical health provider so more or less they would call me,” Solano, a registered medical technologist, said.

Solano said he was a former UST Law student and filed a leave of absence in 2016.

“I’m not a law student now. I don’t know him personally. I only met him twice. The first one he told me his name and then the second time was [when] the incident happened,” Solano said of Castillo.

Solano said he found Castillo “half dead” and “unconscious” before bringing him to the hospital.

“Yes, I did [resuscitate]…More or less, he’s half dead. I cannot give a final verdict that he is dead becaues I’m not a doctor. He’s unconscious, I gave CPR and then when I cannot do anything else, I brought him to the hospital,” he narrated.

Solano’s lawyer, Paterno Esmaquel, said his client will show that “he is innocent.”

Coronel, meanwhile, said Solano, who will be brought to the MPD headquarters, is still considered a primary suspect.

“As I explained to Paul and through his counsel, that at present, our investigation shows that he is principally involved in the death and killing of Atio,” Coronel said.

Solano, previously considered a "person of interest" in the case, was considered a principal suspect in Castillo's death after discovering that he gave "false statements" to the police.

The MPD earlier found inconsistencies between Solano's testimony and the accounts of officials of Barangay 133 in Manila, where Solano claimed he found the UST law freshman's body.

In the police's spot report, Solano claimed that he found Castillo at the corner of H. Lopez and Infanta Streets in Barangay 133 around 8 a.m. on Sunday.

Solano said he was on his way to San Lazaro Hospital, where he works, when he saw Castillo's body.

He claimed that he flagged down a red Strada pick-up to help him bring Castillo to the Chinese General Hospital.

Coronel, however, said that barangay officials had told them no body was found in their barangay and nearby areas. —KBK, GMA News