MANILA (Updated) -- Authorities confirmed Thursday that one of the key suspects in the killing of University of Santo Tomas (UST) law student Horacio Castillo III has left the country last Tuesday, September 19.
Ralph Trangia, a member of the Aegis Juris Fraternity, had left the country, a day before the Department of Justice has ordered to place him and 16 others under an Immigration Lookout Bulletin Order (ILBO).
Trangia boarded Eva Air flight BR262 to Taipei, Taiwan, according to records of the Bureau of Immigration (BI).
"A certain Ralph Caballes Trangia (Date of Birth 10 November 95) departed 19 September 2017 on board Eva Air flight BR262 bound for Taipei," said BI spokesperson Antonette Mangrobang in a text message.
She explained that the above-mentioned name matches the name of Ralph Trangia, who is included in the ILBO issued by the Department of Justice (DOJ) last Wednesday.
Trangia was among the three principal suspects named by the Manila Police District in relation to the hazing death of the Castillo.
The two others are his father Antonio Trangia, the owner of the vehicle that transported Castillo to the hospital, and John Paul Solano.
MPD director Chief Superintendent Joel Coronel said Ralph conspired with Solano to impede the ongoing police investigation.
Solano was the law student who claimed to have found Castillo's body on Sunday morning along Infanta street in Tondo, Manila.
He brought Castillo to the Chinese General Hospital but told police that he did not know the victim.
Investigation showed Solano had recruited Castillo to the fraternity.
Coronel said they are seeking the help of the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) to track the whereabouts of Trangia.
Police will also seek for the cancellation Trangia's passport so he would immediately be forced to return to the country or be deported.
"We are tapping the Interpol to locate the suspect and then ask the Department of Foreign Affairs to cancel all his travel documents," he said.
Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Ronald Dela Rosa, for his part, urged the suspects in the hazing death of Castillo to surrender take responsibility for their action.
Aside from Solano and Trangia, the 14 fraternity members placed under the immigration lookout bulletin are Arvin Balag, Mhin Wei Chan, Marc Anthony Ventura, Axel Munro Hipe, Oliver John Audrey Onofre, Joshua Joriel Macabali, Jason Adolfo Robiños, Ranie Rafael Santiago, Danielle Hans Mattew Rodrigo, Carl Mattew Villanueva, Aeron Salientes, Marcelino Bagtang, Zimon Padro and Jose Miguel Salamat.
Fifteen of those placed under the ILBO, including Solano, have either no travel records or no record of departure, the BI said.
The DOJ has instructed all Bureau of immigration (BI) 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.
A person subject of an ILBO can still leave the country subject to conditions and requirements including clearance from the DOJ. (SunStar Philippines)