Solano blows chance to be state witness: Lacson

FILE: Solano, in his transcript, also named Aegis Juris fraternity brothers who were present during the initiation rites. (PTV photo)

MANILA —John Paul Solano could have been the most probable member of the Aegis Juris fraternity to qualify as state witness but he blew his chance, Senator Panfilo Lacson said.

Lacson made this statement after a new witness, Mark Ventura, a former leader of the Aegis Juris fraternity was accepted to the government’s Witness Protection Program (WPP).

Ventura, the second to narrate the events leading to Atio’s death, expressed his willingness to “face the consequences of his actions” which include abandoning his fraternity brothers.

“With the tell-all tale of Marc Anthony Ventura as bared by (Justice) Aguirre, John Paul Solano blew all his chances to become a state witness as he would have been the most probable Aegis Juris member to qualify as such,” Lacson said on his official Twitter account.

Lacson is chair of the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs in charge of conducting the hearing into Atio’s hazing death.

During the last Senate hearing into Atio’s hazing death, Lacson’s committee bared Solano’s transcript during an executive session wherein he narrated the events which transpired from the day he found Atio dead on September 17 onwards.

Solano, in his transcript, also named Aegis Juris fraternity brothers who were present during the initiation rites.

According to Solano, Oliver Onofre, Arvin Balag, Mark Ventura, and Axel Hipe were among those who were at the initiation rites but they invoked their right against self-incrimination when questioned by senators during Wednesday’s hearing.

Solano’s closed-door transcript was bared in a PowerPoint presentation after Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri moved to have it released.

The Senate earlier adopted a resolution that allows the committee chair to lift the ban on the confidentiality of the executive session. (PNA)