UST student mistaken for Atio death suspect in CCTV footage surfaces

A University of Santo Tomas (UST) student surfaced on Friday to dispute the police's claim that it was John Paul Solano who was seen on a CCTV footage with hazing victim Horacio "Atio" Castillo III.

Manila Police District (MPD) spokesperson Superintendent Edwin Margarejo said the student, who did not give his name, went to the MPD Homicide Division with his lawyer to clarify that it was actually him who was on the video.

"Dinidispute niya, sinasabi niya siya 'yung nasa video at hindi si John Paul Solano," Margarejo told GMA News Online. "Hindi na siya nagbigay ng pangalan, ang sabi nila babalik na lang daw sila and they will submit an affidavit."

Margarejo said the appearance of the student was a "good development" in the case.

"So, definitely if he will be issuing a statement that he is not that person in the video, it's a good development for MPD considering that we are in the process of evaluating evidence," he said.

MPD earlier said Solano and  Castillo were caught on CCTV camera with other members of  Aegis Juris fraternity entering the UST campus a day after Castillo was pronounced dead on arrival at a hospital.

However, netizens pointed out that the students in the video did not seem to be UST Faculty of Civil Law students like Solano and Castillo. They said the students on the video seemed to be from the UST College of Commerce and Business Administration based on their uniform.

Commerce students in UST wear yellow long sleeves with neck tie and black pants, while Civil Law students wear white polo barong and black pants.

Solano is considered a principal suspect in the death of Castillo as it was he who brought the victim to Chinese General Hospital.

Solano surrendered to Senator Panfilo Lacson on Friday afternoon and was turned over to the MPD after a short presscon at the Senator's office. —KBK/KVD, GMA News