Atio Castillo died of pre-existing heart disease, not hazing, says suspect Solano

John Paul Solano (center, in eyeglasses). (File photo from Philippine Daily Inquirer)

John Paul Solano, one of the primary suspects in the death of University of Santo Tomas law student Horacio Tomas “Atio” Castillo III, claimed on Tuesday that the victim did not die from hazing but from a pre-existing heart disease.

Solano said Castillo died of cardiac arrest caused by his pre-existing hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM).

“To emphasize, what is clear from the medico legal report is that Horacio has HCM which is a pre-existing heart disease of Horacio,” Solano said in the counter-affidavit he submitted to the Department of Justice (DOJ) investigating panel led by Assistant State Prosecutor Susan Villanueva.

“From my study as a licensed medical technologist, HCM could not have been caused by hazing or any physical activity,” he said. “Patients with HCM have an increased risk of cardiac failure. Thus, if its true that Horacio died of cardiac arrest, the death of Horacio is not due to hazing, but he died of cardiac arrest due to HCM.”

In the resumption of the DOJ preliminary investigation on the death of Castillo, Solano, accompanied by his legal counsel Paterno Esmaquel, filed and subscribed to his counter-affidavit on the murder complaint filed against him by Castillo’s parents, Horacio Jr. and Carminia.

He was also accused of violating Section 4 of the Anti-Hazing Law, as well as robbery, perjury, and obstruction of justice.

He also quoted the report of Chief Insp. Mesalyn Milagros Probador, medico-legal officer at Manila Police District (MPD). The report said Castillo’s heart was grossly enlarged and weighed 450 grams, 50 percent bigger than the normal weight of a person’s heart, which is around 300 grams – which was consistent with the medico-legal finding that Castillo had HCM.

HCM, according to the British Heart Foundation, is a genetic condition in which the heart’s muscular wall, called the myocardium, becomes thickened, making the heart muscle stiff.

Solano said Castillo’s parents and the MPD “conveniently omitted” the said information to “apparently cover up the fact that the death of Horacio was brought about by cardiac failure due to his HCM, and not due to hazing.”

He noted the medico legal report had indicated that “there is no significant finding of acute kidney injury or failure” and all his other internal organs were normal when he died.

Castillo’s parents, however, denied their son had a heart disease.

“He is a football player. He is very active,” Carmina said. “He is a football player. He is a goal keeper. Wala siyang sakit sa puso [He has no heart disease].”

“Alam nyo naman bago pumasok sa University kinukuhanan sila ng medical certificate [You know that before he entered the University, he was required of a medical certificate],” Horacio Jr. said. “He was given a clean bill of health by the school.”

“What led to my son’s death was because of blunt trauma coming from hazing that caused extreme pain and suffering to my son that caused maybe the heart attack,” he added.

Horacio Jr. chided Solano’s “expert opinion” in his affidavit, saying that he was a medical technologist, not a cardiologist.

Solano is one of the 18 fratmen accused of killing Castillo, a neophyte of UST Faculty of Civil Law-based fraternity, Aegis Juris.

Besides Solano, the following also filed their counter-affidavits: Min Wei Chan, Axel Hipe, Oliver Onofre, Joshua Macabali, Jason Rubinos, Jose Miguel Salamat, Ranie Santiago, Carl Villanueva, Marcelino Bagtang, Daniel Hans Rodrigo, Aeron Salientes, Simon Padro, Cesar Tirol, Oscar Co, Alvin Dysangco, Gabriel Robinol, and Micheal Joseph Fernandez.

Only Alex Bose, represented by legal counsel Paris Real, and Arvin Balag were unable to file their counter-affidavits.

Nilo Divina, dean of the UST Faculty of Civil Law, did not attend the preliminary investigation but was represented by his legal counsel, Estrella Elamparo.

The DOJ investigating panel set for Oct. 30 the filing of counter-affidavits for the supplemental complaint filed by Castillo’s parents. /atm