Parents of accused in Atio death want sons under NBI custody

The accused members of the Aegis Juris fraternity at the NBI headquarters. INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO / Julius N. Leonen

Parents of the 10 officers and members of Aegis Juris Fraternity accused in the death of Horacio “Atio” Castillo III has asked the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to allow their sons to remain in their custody.

In a letter to NBI Director Dante Gierran, the parents said their sons would not be safe in the custody of the Manila Police District (MPD).

“Our children will not be safe under the custody of MPD. We wish that you will not place the safety and lives of our children under imminent danger by allowing the transfer of their custody to MPD,” the letter stated.

The parents said operatives of the MPD did not present any warrant of arrest or a search warrant when they entered the house of one of the accused Ralph Trangia.

They maintained that even if there was a warrant of arrest, the police could not enter or search the house of an accused without a valid search warrant.

“Thus, the operatives of the MPD and/or their higher officers who authorized them to unlawfully enter and search the house of accused Trangia are obviously criminally and administratively liable for the same,” the letter stated.

They said Trangia’s parents who owned the house is reserving the right to file the appropriate case before the Office of the Ombudsman for Military and Other Law Enforcement Officers.

Signatory to the letter are Antonio and Rosemari Trangia, parents of Ralph; Ariel and Josephing Macabali, parents of Joshua Joriel Macabali; Jeriel and Mary Ann Hipe, parents of Axel Munro Hipe; Herbert and Michelle Rodrigo, parents of Danielle Hans Rodrigo; Armando and Nenita Ramos, parents of Robin Ramos; Shih Chun Chan and Jennifer Chan, parents of Mhin Wei Chan; Artemio and Ludivina Balag, parents of Arvin Balag; Marcelino and Muriel Bagtang, parents of Marcelino Bagtang Jr.; Leonora Onofre, mother of Oliver John Audrey Onofre and a representative of Ma. Rondeen Ramos, mother of Jose Miguel Salamat. /cbb

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