Suspect in UST student death released from police detention

September 28, 2017

John Paul Solano, a police suspect in the death of University of Santo Tomas law freshman Horacio Castillo III allegedly due to hazing, was released from detention by the Manila Police District Thursday.

The Department of Justice issued last Wednesday afternoon a resolution ordering the release of Solano over invalid arrest and inquest proceedings by the police.

The MPD homicide division  did not release him immediately because the order did not include a charge for obstruction of justice in the list of criminal charges against Solano.

The resolution stated charges of murder, violations of Republic Act 8049 or the Anti-Hazing Law, perjury and robbery, which prompted MPD officials to detain Solano while waiting for an amended resolution.

Senior Deputy State Prosecutor Richard Anthony Fadullon, head of the task force in charge of the case, coordinated with the MPD and said no amended release order is needed.

"There was no need to include the obstruction of justice charge in the resolution because it was not yet resolved just like the other charges," Fadullon stressed.

"Also, while obstruction of justice was included in the police's complaint, they also did not include documents or any detail to explain the said charge," Fadullon added.

Fadullon said the 16 respondents, who are members of the Aegis Juris Fraternity, would have face preliminary investigation by a panel led by Asst. State Prosecutor Susan Villanueva. The hearings are set  Oct. 4 and 9.

Solano was brought to the justice department Monday for inquest proceedings after he surrendered to the MPD last Sept. 22. DMS