MANILA – One of the Aegis Juris fraternity members sought for the fatal hazing of University of Sto. Tomas law student Horacio “Atio” Castillo III is flying back to the Philippines to avoid deportation by US authorities, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre said late Monday.
“We were informed that the US authorities are preparing to deport him,” Aguirre said in a text message to Department of Justice reporters, referring to Ralph Trangia, who flew to Chicago just as Manila police were investigating the Sept. 17 death of Castillo.
Trangia had been seen on airport CCTV just before he boarded the flight to Taiwan, where he transited enroute to Chicago, with his mother. His mother, whom the DOJ said will be charged with obstruction of justice, is believed to be on the same flight (Eva Air flight BR 271 ETA 11:20 am.) that the young Trangia will take in returning to the country on Tuesday morning, according to Aguirre.
“We will offer security if he asks for it,” Aguirre said late Monday.
His father Antonio, also a fraternity member, is also facing charges and is at large.
“So I believe that he opted to return voluntarily rather than be deported,” the DOJ chief said of Ralph’s decision to come home and face the music.
The DOJ’s preliminary investigation of the Castillo killing continued Monday morning, with his parents Horacio II and Carmina filing a supplemental motion and including the UST law dean, Atty. Nilo Divina, along with members of the Aegis Juris Fraternity board, as additional respondents.
According to Manila police investigators, the Trangia father and son had used their vehicle to transport a by-then unresponsive Atio Castillo to the Chinese General Hospital, where the hazing victim was left, and another fraternity member, John Paul Solano, was left to give the cops an initially misleading story of how he “found” a stranger’s body and asked a passing vehicle to help him bring it to the hospital.
