(Eagle News) — A suspect in the death of Horacio Castillo III has been fully admitted to the Witness Protection Program.
Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre said it was Marc Ventura himself who “voluntarily” went to his office at the Department of Justice together with his mother and lawyer to signify his intention to apply for the same.
Ventura was granted full admission to the WPP after his sworn statement was evaluated, and accepted by the DOJ.
According to Aguirre, Ventura gave a “clear” declaration of what transpired from the night of Sept. 16, up to the initiation rites on Sept. 17, until the victim was rushed to the hospital.
Based on what Ventura said, Aguirre said Castillo was already being “subjected to physical, psychological tests,” for a week before the initiation rites.
“May namention na sinasampal..Paiinumin siya ng laway pero in reality, pinapalitan nila baso,” Aguirre said.
Two groups
He said on Sept. 17, initiation rites began around 1 a.m.
He said there were two groups in the library–members of one group were with Castillo, and the members of the other–around 7 of them including one girl Ventura doesn’t know— were having a videoke and drinking session.
He said the first physical hit against Castillo was a punch in his arm.
“There were more than ten who punched him sa braso. Meron silang term na hanggat hindi pumuputok ang kaniyang braso, tuloy tuloy lang sila,” Aguirre said, noting that it was the call of the master initiation, Axle Hipe, when the hurting would stop.
He said “nung magang maga na, ginamitan nila ng spatula para lang macalm ang muscles ni Atio.”
“The third (physical hit) supposed to be the last was paddle na,” Aguirre said.
“Dapat mga 10 paddles lang. For the leader, magiging 11. Pag magsosolo ka, you will be given 11 paddles,” Aguirre explained, based on Ventura’s narration.
According to Aguirre, at the third paddle hit, Castillo was asked if he could go on, to which Castillo supposedly replied with a yes.
“Fourth (paddle) though, he collapsed. Unintelligible na response, umuungol na,” Aguirre said.
He said as a result, the group had a “respite from paddling.”
Strike for 5th time
“But after a few minutes, siguro nung nakita nilang nagkakamalay, they struck him for a fifth time with a paddle. Sa fifth, lalong nagcollapse,” Aguirre said.
According to Aguirre, based on Ventura’s narration, at this point members of the fraternity became “pannicky and tried to revive him.”
He said one even suggested that they allow candle wax to drop on Castillo’s skin just to see if he would respond because of the pain.
“But apparently, wala nang response si Atio. Around 5 na ito kasi ang rites, sasalubungin nila pag bukang liwayway ng new member pag nakapasa,” Aguirre said.
He said at this point, the vehicles they called arrived, including the pickup of Arvin Balag.
Aguirre said based on Ventura’s account, the driver the senators had subpoenaed was not Ralph Trangia’s driver but Balag’s.
Aguirre said Castillo, who had a pulse but was unconscious, was carried to a pickup so he could be taken to the Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center.
When John Paul Solano, a licensed medical technologist, arrived, “binaba na uli si (Castillo) from the pickup to try to revive him.”
He said when this was unsuccessful even after Solano injected something, they decided to take him to the Chinese General Hospital.
He said Ventura was not a participant in the chat group shown in the recent Senate hearing, but Ventura confirmed he and the others involved “had communication by text” after the incident.
Ventura,authorities said,confirmed they were asked by their alumni to go to an “apartment” after the incident, apparently referring to Novotel in Cubao.
Dropped as respondent
According to Aguirre, as state witness, Ventura was now dropped as a respondent in the cases in connection with Castillo’s death.
He said if other fraternity members applied for admission to the WPP, only another one would be admitted to “corroborate” Ventura’s narration.
As it is though, Aguirre said Ventura’s narration of events could stand on its own.
