Hazing suspect has yet to contact DOJ

Ralph Trangia (center), a suspect in the fatal hazing of freshman UST Law student Horacio Castillo III, arrives at Naia Terminal 1. —LYN RILLON

Ralph Trangia, one of the primary suspects in the fatal hazing of University of Santo Tomas freshman law student Horacio Castillo III, has yet to respond to the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) offer to place him under protective custody.

In a text message to reporters on Monday, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said that Trangia has not contacted the DOJ since he and his mother, Rosemarie, flew back from the United States on Oct. 10.

Rosemarie and Trangia boarded a flight to Chicago several hours after Castillo’s tragic death on Sept. 17 was reported by the media.

Trangia and his father, Antonio, were among several persons, most of them Aegis Juris fraternity members, charged with murder and violation of the antihazing law in connection with Castillo’s death.

Antonio is the registered owner of the vehicle used to bring the victim to the hospital where he was declared dead on arrival.

Trangia’s mother, on the other hand, was charged with obstruction of justice for accompanying her son out of the country.

Aguirre earlier urged Trangia to cooperate with the DOJ in seeking justice for Castillo and his family by disclosing the truth “as a future lawyer.”

He said Trangia, one of the officials of the fraternity, could be a potential witness in the case.