听
John Paul Solano, one of the prime suspects in the killing of University of Sto. Tomas (UST) freshman law student Horacio Castillo III, pinned down his fraternity brothers in Aegis Juris when he faced a Senate hearing on Monday.
Upon Senator Grace Poe鈥檚 questioning,听Solano听disclosed that a听fraternity colleague, whom he refused to identify, called him and asked him to go to the fraternity library on the morning of September 17.
Asked by Poe who was the person who called听him, Solano said: 鈥淚 can鈥檛 say right now. I鈥檒l say it on my affidavit since they听filed multiple听cases听against me.鈥�
Solano听lamented that he surrendered to his fraternity and yet the group has still initiated the filing of multiple听cases against听him.
The suspect even invoked听his rights against听self-incrimination when Poe prodded him to听name the听person听who phoned him.
John Paul Solano and Jason Adolfo Robi帽os, both members of the Aegis Juris fraternity, take their oath at the start of the Senate hearing on the fatal hazing of 22-year-old law student Horacio Castillo III on Monday, Sept. 25, 2017. (Photo by EDWIN BACASMAS / Philippine Daily Inquirer)
But听when听the senator听insisted to at least confirm if the听person who made the call was part of the fraternity, Solano said: 鈥淵es po, I will confirm.鈥�
鈥淭hey just said na punta raw po ako sa frat library,鈥� he added.
Solano said he did not go to the library right away until he received another call from听the same person telling him听that someone had 鈥渃ollapsed.鈥�
At the library, he said,听he saw听someone lying on the floor.
鈥淥n the听first look, he (Castillo) looked听unconscious.听The first thing I checked po are the pupils and the pulse. When I checked the pulse,听I didn鈥檛 hear听(anything) so I administered the CPR (Cardiopulmonary resuscitation),鈥� Solano recalled.
His testimony was contrary to the affidavit he executed with the police that he had found Castillo鈥檚听body dumped听on the pavement听in听Balut, Tondo in Manila.
Still听under Poe鈥檚 questioning, Solano confessed听that a fraternity member听had directed听him to say where he found the听body.
In fact, Solano听said听some fraternity members听were with him听when he brought Castillo to the Chinese General Hospital.
鈥淏akit ikaw lang na-identify? So ikaw lang ang natagal sa hospital?鈥� Poe asked to which听Solano answered, 鈥淵es.鈥�
鈥淭apos noong tinanong ka听 sinabi mo na nadampot听 mo doon sa Balut Tondo?鈥� the senator听again asked.
It was at this point that Solano听admitted: 鈥淎ng totoo po, your honor, they told me听 to say it.鈥�
鈥淲ho told you to say it?鈥� Poe insisted.
鈥淎 frat member that I would include in my affidavit,鈥� Solano replied.
Solano was charged on Monday with a number of criminal cases 鈥� murder, obstruction of justice, perjury, robbery and violation of the Anti-Hazing Law 鈥� before the Department of Justice (DOJ) for the death of Castillo.听 /kga