THE DEPARTMENT of Justice (DOJ) is eyeing Ralph Trangia, one of the primary suspects in the death of UST law freshman and hazing victim Horacio Castillo III, as a state witness.
Trangia, who is listed by the police as the sergeant at arms of the Aegis Juris Fraternity, returned to Manila via Eva Air Flight 271 with his mother Rosemarie.
The Trangias left the country for Chicago via Taiwan on Sept. 19, two days after Castillo’s death and ahead of the DOJ’s lookout order against suspects in the hazing death.
The Manila Police District had named Trangia as one of the main suspects in the death of Horacio together with fellow Aegis Juris member John Paul Solano and 16 others last Sept. 20.
Antonio Trangia, father of Ralph Trangia and owner of the vehicle that brought Castillo’s body to Chinese General Hospital last Sept. 17, was also charged. His wife Rosemarie was accused of obstruction of justice for being an accomplice in the escape of her son, Ralph.
The DOJ offered to place Trangia and his family under the Witness Protection Program provided that they would cooperate with the authorities.
“While he (Trangia) may be a suspect as of the moment, depending on what he will tell our investigators, he could be a potential witness,” the DOJ said in a statement.
Trangia is the fourth suspect to surface following Castillo’s death.
Jason Adolfo Robiños, a fifth-year Civil Law student and allegedly the treasurer of Aegis Juris, turned himself in to authorities on Sept. 27 while Aeron Salientes surrendered to the police on Sept. 22.
Solano surrendered last Sept. 22 to Sen. Panfilo Lacson and was released from detention last Sept. 28, as there was no warrant of arrest against him.
