MANILA -- The Department of Justice (DOJ) has issued an immigration lookout bulletin order (ILBO) against 16 members of the Aegis Juris fraternity in connection with the death of University of Santo Tomas (UST) law freshman Horacio Castillo III.
In a memorandum released on Wednesday, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II directed Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente to instruct all immigration officers in the country’s airports and seaports to be on the lookout to prevent attempts of the 16 “persons of interest” to leave the country.
The victim died allegedly because of hazing.
Placed under the ILBO are Arvin R. Balag, Mhin Wei Chan, Marc Anthony Ventura, Axel Mundo Hipe, Oliver John Audrey Onofre, Joshua Joriel Macabali, Jason Adolfo Robiños, Ralph Trangia, Ranie Rafael Santiago, Danielle Hans Mattew Rodrigo, Carl Mattew Villanueva, Aeron Salientes, Marcelino Bagtang, Zimon Padro, Jose Miguel Salamat and John Paul Solano.
“I signed an Immigration Lookout Bulletin Order (ILBO) against members of the Aegis Juris Fraternity who are considered persons of interest in the death of Horacio Tomas Castillo III, a freshman law student of the College of Law, University of Santo Tomas,” Aguirre said.
Aguirre said the named subject of the ILBO were provided to Justice Undersecretary Erickson Balmes by police investigators looking into the incident.
“I call upon the persons named in the ILBO or anyone who has knowledge of what happened to Mr. Horacio Tomas Castillo III, to come forward and to clear their names and share what they know,” he noted.
Balmes visited the wake of Castillo, on Aguirre’s behalf, to offer assistance to the victim’s family.
“We offer our condolences to the family of Mr. Castillo and we likewise offer any assistance that the Department of Justice can give to them in their quest for justice for what happened to their son,” the Justice secretary added.
He also instructed the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to obtain additional information on the personalities such as latest photo, other known aliases, place of birth and a copy of the passport.
The DOJ chief also required the Prosecutor General to regularly update the BI on the status of complaints and cases filed against suspects.
A person subject of an ILBO can still leave the country subject to conditions and requirements including clearance from the DOJ.
An ILBO is different from a court-issued hold departure order (HDO) since the former only directs the BI to be on the lookout for the subject and to verify the status of a case against the subject person and not to restrict an individual from leaving the country.
On Sunday, Castillo's body bearing bruises and burns was found dumped along a street in Balut, Tondo.
Prior to the incident, the victim's father, Horacio Jr., said his son informed him that he will attend the welcoming rites of the fraternity. (PNA)
