Ventura a ‘Trojan horse’? Lacson questions witness credibility

Aegis Juris member-turned witness Marc Anthony Ventura could be a “Trojan horse planted to derail” the investigation into the death of University of Santo Tomas (UST) law student Horacio “Atio” Castillo III, Senator Panfilo Lacson said on Monday.

“This is the malicious part of me being an investigator, ang possibility si Ventura is a Trojan horse; have you looked at it?” Lacson asked Department of Justice (DOJ) prosecutor general Jorge Catalan Jr. during the Senate committee hearing into Castillo’s death on Sept. 17 due to an apparent hazing by Aegis Juris fraternity members.

“Baka planted ito (kasi) magkaiba ang testimony. May sinabi siya rito na mukhang di tama. Anyway it’s just a thought and you should expound on this,” Lacson who chairs the Senate public order committee, added.

Lacson questioned Ventura’s credibility as provisional state witness after he noticed inconsistencies between his statement and that of John Paul Solano’s, also a member of the fraternity who claimed to have been summoned by members when Castillo collapsed.

“Magkaiba ang kanilang testimony, tulad nun may mga sinabi siya dito na hindi tama. Sabi niya hindi siya yung MI (master initiator) and then lumalabas kung titignan mo yung documents, of course meron siyang alibi na tumigil na siya sa pagiging MI. But again, ‘pag tinignan natin ang articles, yung kanilang Constitution mukhang sablay din dun sa petsa na pinag-uusapan natin kanina,” he said.

“Assuming that Marc Ventura is not accurate or siya yung medyo sablay kapag binangga nyo sa facts, who would you treat him as a state witness now?” Lacson asked Catalan.

Catalan said: “We’ve already dealt with the demerits of the case and they can expound their clarificatory questions.”

Catalan added that he cannot comment on Lacson’s statement as of this time since Ventura has only been granted a provisional status as state witness since Oct. 24.

“We will have to balance the statements of both witnesses your honor. Right now he is still considered a respondent until he is fully covered by the witness protection program,” he said, adding that the Justice department is not closing its doors on Solano and other fraternity members who would want to give valuable information.

Aegis Juris member Mark Anthony Ventura during the Senate inquiry into the fatal hazing of UST Law student Horatio “Atio” Castillo III. INQUIRER PHOTO/LYN RILLON

Reacting to Lacson’s theory, Ventura stood by his statements and said: “Only few good men can tell the truth and nothing but the truth.”

Lacson later clarified to reporters after the hearing that “on second thought, the mere fact that he changed lawyers from AJF members to non-AJF members ang kanyang lawyers, that’s indication enough that he’s already severing ties with AJF by testifying against his fellow frat members.”