Current officers and members of the Aegis Jvris fraternity are now considered suspects in the death of UST law student Horacio “Atio” Castillo III, the Manila Police District (MPD) said.

“At this time, I can say that all officers of the Aegis Jvris Fraternity currently enrolled are considered suspects which is also provided under the anti-hazing law, wherein officers of fraternities and or organizations are to be held liable in the event of incidents such as this hazing would take place,” said MPD District Director, Superintendent Joel Coronel.

Coronel said that even those who were not present during the initiation rites but may have knowledge about it may be held liable.

“Part of the investigation will include possible members of the UST Law Faculty and Alumni who participated in the hazing of Atio Castillo or the cover up of this incident they will be held either as co-conspirators, accomplices, accessories even liable for obstruction of justice,” Coronel explained during a press conference Wednesday.

He also disclosed that investigators are having a hard time getting statements from other fraternity members after the UST law dean issued a preventive suspension on all Aegis Jvris members.

Meanwhile, John Paul Solano, who earlier claimed to have discovered Castillo’s body in Balut, Tondo, and another companion identified as Ralph Trangia, are now both suspects.

“They were the ones who [were] suspected [to have] brought the body to the Chinese General Hospital kasi nakuha yung vehicle, may witnesses na nagsasabi na dinala yung katawan, later identified as Atio Castillo, sa Chinese General Hospital and with that information they are now suspects,” he said.

Coronel however declined to reveal other details of their investigation.

“I understand that members of the Regina Jvris were present during the initiation activities. We do not want to implicate those members unnecessarily if they were not present or involved in that activity,” he said.

- With a report from Dennis Datu, DZMM