Ralph Trangia opted to return to PHL to skirt deportation, says Aguirre

Ralph Trangia may have been pushed to fly back to the Philippines to skirt possible deportation by the United States government for his alleged involvement in the hazing death of University of Santo Tomas law student Horacio Castillo III, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said Tuesday.

“We were informed that the US authorities are preparing to deport him. So I believe that he opted to return voluntarily rather than be deported,” Aguirre said in a text message.

Aguirre earlier said that the US Department of Homeland Security had expressed readiness to help facilitate the deportation of Trangia and his mother, Rosemarie, should the Philippine government ask for it.

The Trangias are now en route to Taipei, where they will be taking a flight bound for Manila past 9 a.m. Tuesday.

They are expected to arrive in Manila at 11:20 a.m.

Aguirre said Ralph Trangia could be invited  for questioning by the authorities regarding his knowledge and participation in the death of Castillo on September 17.

“The NBI [National Bureau of Investigation] or MPD [Manila Police District] will be waiting for him and perhaps they will be asking for time within which to investigate and interview him,” Aguirre said.

The mother and son are among the 18 individuals charged by the MPD before the Department of Justice for the death of Castillo.

A preliminary investigation by a three-man panel of prosecutors is already underway to determine if cases should be filed against the respondents in court. 

Castillo was a neophyte who underwent "welcoming rites" of the Aegis Juris Fraternity on the weekend of September 16 to 17. He was brought to Chinese General Hospital on the morning of September 17 where he was pronounced dead. The MPD said Castillo died after undergoing hazing. —KG, GMA News