Signing of a memorandum of agreement between DOJ-Witness Protection Program and Marc Anthony B. Ventura, witness in the Atio Castillo hazing case. In photo are DOJ Usec. Raymund Mecate, Usec. in Charge of WPP, Executive Director Nerissa Carpio, WPP Deputy ED Abraham Siu, Atty. Ferdie Benitez, counsel of Ventura and the witness’ mother Merlene Ventura. INQUIRER.net / Tetch Torres-Tupas
Mark Ventura, the Aegis Juris fraternity member who turned government witness, is willing to face the consequences of his actions, which include abandoning his fraternity brothers.
Ventura, a former leader of the Aegis fraternity, was the first to come forward and narrate the events that transpired leading to the death of University of Santo Tomas (UST) freshman law student Horacio “Atio” Castillo III.
He has been accepted to the government’s Witness Protection Program (WPP) after issuing a sworn statement, which Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said is enough to stand in court to prosecute the people liable in the case.
Aguirre said Ventura did not give any reason why Ventura has decided to come out and testify against his fraternity brothers.
“He only said he is ready to face the consequences of his actions,” Aguirre said adding that a possible result would include his expulsion from the fraternity.
Ventura, in his sworn statement, gave a detailed description of what happened to Atio.
READ: Aguirre bares Atio’s ordeal in the hands of Aegis Juris members
He executed his statement in the presence of members of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and head of the WPP. /jpv