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Duterte meets Atio's parents, vows justice

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Dharel Placido, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2017/news/10/04/duterte-castillo.jpg"/><figcaption>President Duterte meets with Horacio Castillo Jr. and Carminia Castillo, parents of slain UST law freshman Horacio Castillo III in Malacañang. MPC Pool Photo</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA (UPDATE) – President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday vowed justice for the <a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/09/18/17/ust-student-kumpirmadong-nasawi-sa-hazing-autopsy">death </a>of Horacio “Atio” Castillo III as he met with the University of Santo Tomas law freshman&#x27;s parents in Malacañang. “You have my word,” Duterte told Castillo&#x27;s parents Horacio Castillo Jr. and Carminia Castillo, and his uncle Gerardo Castillo when they met past 3 p.m. He said he would make sure there would be no whitewash in the investigation. “Let the chips fall [where they may]...You make your own history in this world. You are bound by your mistakes... Everybody should answer. The law of karma will run after you. I paid dearly for that,” the President said. Also present during the meeting were Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II and Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) founding chairman Dante Jimenez.During the meeting, the Castillos expressed their wish for the Manila Police District (MPD) to lead the investigation. Several members of the Aegis Jvris Fraternity have been charged for Castillo&#x27;s death in hazing rites in September. “It was only the MPD who helped us. No one else, only the Manila Police District. Without them, this would have been washed up,” Gerardo told the President.The President acceded and immediately ordered MPD director Chief Supt. Joel Coronel over the phone that Manila police should lead the probe.Gerardo also voiced his family’s concerns to the President about possible attempts to cover up the crime.“Before we found Atio, the dean of faculty of UST knew beforehand that a neophyte has died by the last name of Castillo. The fact that he is a member of the organization -- they did not even inform us or did not even ask us to open and check who is that Castillo,” Gerardo said, referring to UST Faculty of Civil Law Dean Nilo Divina, an Aegis Jvris member. The Castillos have decided to include Divina as a respondent in case they filed against those involved in the 22-year-old&#x27;s death, according to their lawyer Lorna Kapunan.In a separate interview with reporters, Carminia thanked the President for promising swift justice for her son.“He promised naman sa amin na tutulungan kami to bring justice [for my son]. They will look to [into] it talaga,” she said.Castillo succumbed to heart attack after suffering massive injuries during initiation rites of the Aegis Jvris fraternity on the weekend of September 16 to 17.He was rushed to the hospital on the morning of Sept. 17 but was declared dead upon arrival. His family learned of his death before dawn the next day.John Paul Solano, among primary suspects in the fatal hazing, was released from police custody <a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/09/27/17/doj-orders-release-of-primary-suspect-in-fatal-hazing-of-ust-student">on orders of the DOJ</a>.Solano is facing charges of murder, violation of Republic Act (RA) No. 8049 (Anti-Hazing Law), perjury, robbery, and obstruction of justice. Also charged were 17 other individuals.Another suspect, Jason Robiños, <a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/09/27/17/another-suspect-in-atio-hazing-surrenders">submitted himself to police</a> last week and said he had nothing to do with the incident.One of the suspects, <a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/09/22/17/taipei-hazing-suspect-trangia-flew-to-chicago">Ralph Trangia</a>, was confirmed to have left the Philippines in the wake of Castillo’s death.The President said he would seek the cancellation of passports of suspects who have left the country and that he would seek Interpol&#x27;s help in hunting them down.The Bureau of Immigration has already released an immigration lookout bulletin order against the suspects.Castillo’s death has prompted fresh discussions on the country’s anti-hazing law, which some groups and lawmakers say has failed to prevent hazing fatalities.

President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday met with the parents of Horacio “Atio” Castillo III, a University of Santo Tomas law freshman who died during fraternity initiation rites.

President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday met with the parents of Horacio “Atio” Castillo III, a University of Santo Tomas law freshman who died during fraternity initiation rites.

Duterte meets Atio's parents, vows justice

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Duterte meets Atio's parents, vows justice

Dharel Placido,

ABS-CBN News

Published Oct 04, 2017 04:12 PM PHT

|

Updated Oct 05, 2017 12:53 PM PHT

Read More:

rodrigo duterte

hazing

initiation

horacio castillo III

fraternity

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