Police inspect Aegis Juris hazing site
Armed with a search warrant, operatives of the Manila Police District (MPD) Homicide section, Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO), and District Special Operation Unit inspected the Aegis Juris fraternity library in Sampaloc, Manila yesterday where hazing rites on neophyte Horacio Castillo III, a first year law student at the University of Santo Tomas was reportedly held.
MPD Spokesman Erwin Margarejo said initially they found “object and forensic evidence” during their search which can be considered “substantial” in their investigation.
A source said police found at least three paddles.
"A lot of questions will remain unanswered. Walang telling evidence. It can only be established that he (Castillo) was there," the source said.
The inspection on the supposed crime scene occurred 12 days after the hazing rites were held. Margarejo could not say if the Aegis Juris frat library had been cleaned or not. The hazing rites is believed to have been held between midnight of September 16 and 8 a.m. of September 17.
The library is located in the corner of Navarra
and Laon-Laan Streets which is just a block away from UST.
The search was witnessed by a representative of an adjacent law firm and Barangay 471 Chairwoman Ruby Perez.
Margarejo said the team searched the place for pieces of evidence such as fingerprints, foot marks, and body fluids like blood samples, saliva, even vomit.
The search warrant which was issued Wednesday is valid for 10 days and Margarejo is optimistic that the team will find forensic evidence that would help in their investigation.
"Forensic evidence is an exact science. Pag nakakuha tayo ng forensic evidence at nag match for comparison doon sa body nung victim, that is a big development for MPD," he said.
Margarejo also said that they are using a technology that can still trace evidence even if it had been wiped off. Released Meanwhile, John Paul Solano considered a primary suspect in the Castillo hazing case was released from police detention at about 1 p.m. yesterday for further investigation.
But the police said his release does not mean that Solano is already off the hook. Solano insists he is innocent and claims he was called by his fraternity brothers Sunday morning to the library. There, Solano said he found the unconscious Castillo on the floor, checked on his pupils and pulse and tried to revive him through cardiopulmonary resuscitation before the group decided to bring Castillo to the Chinese General Hospital which was about 20 minutes away from the crime scene instead of the UST hospital which was a block away.
The MPD filed before the DOJ cases of murder, perjury, obstruction of justice, robbery, and violation of anti-hazing law against Solano Monday despite his surrender.
The preliminary investigation on the Castillo case is set on October 4 and 9. (With reports from Jeffrey G. Damicog and Analou de Vera)