The members of Aegis Jvris law fraternity, accused of involvement in a hazing death, say law freshman Horacio “Atio” Castillo III didn’t die because he was hazed but because of a heart condition.
Castillo, who was found dead last Sept. 18 with cigarette burns, hematomas, and severely bruised arms, died of a pre-existing heart condition and not hazing, suspect John Paul Solano said yesterday in answering murder and other charges filed against him before the Department of Justice (DOJ).
In his counter-affidavit, Solano, who cited his own knowledge as a medical technologist prior to studying law, pointed out that a medico-legal report showed that Castillo had hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), a condition that increases the risk of heart failure.
“HCM could not have been caused by hazing or any physical activity. Patients with HCM have an increased risk for cardiac failure. If it is true that Horacio died of cardiac arrest, the death of Horacio is not due to hazing but of cardiac arrest due to his HCM,” said Solano.
He said that the medico-legal report showed that the student’s heart was “grossly enlarged” — a detail, he said, the complainants and the Manila Police District “conveniently omitted” to “cover up the fact that the death of Horacio was brought about by cardiac failure due to his HCM and not due to hazing.”
Horacio Castillo Jr., the victim’s father, refuted Solano’s claims, saying “blunt trauma” caused his son’s death.
“What led to my son’s death is because of blunt trauma, meaning, coming from hazing; that caused extreme pain and suffering to my son,” the elder Castillo said.
“He (Solano) is not a doctor, he’s a medical technologist. Get a cardiologist to explain [my son’s heart condition],” he added.
A University of Santo Tomas law student, Castillo told his parents that he would be attending initiation rites of the Aegis Jvris fraternity last Sept. 16 but never made it home.
He succumbed to a heart attack due to “massive injuries” he sustained in initiation rites. It was Solano who rushed him to the hospital on the morning of Sept. 17 but Castillo was declared dead upon arrival.
Castillo’s death again put the spotlight on fraternities and their culture of hazing, prompting a Senate inquiry aimed to strengthen the anti-hazing law.
Solano, who is facing charges of murder, robbery, and violation of the anti-hazing law, had identified in a Senate executive session several fraternity brothers present at the initiation rites. He also said that the fraternity brothers called him to bring a “half-dead” Castillo to the hospital that Sunday morning.
with reports from ABS-CBN News
