Anti-Hazing Law

BIDA KA!: Kapatirang nakamamatay

Mga Bida, naantig ang puso ko nang mapanood ang panayam sa telebisyon ng ama ng estudyante ng College of St. Benilde na namatay sa hazing kamakailan.

Ramdam ko ang sakit na nadarama ni Aurelio Servando habang nagkukuwento ito ukol sa pagkamatay ng kanyang anak na si Guillo Cesar.

Sa kuwento ni Aurelio, na­laman na lang niya na sumali ang anak sa fraternity matapos ng insidente mula sa dalawa pang biktima ng hazing.

Huli niyang nakita ang anak noong Sabado ng umaga, ilang oras bago nangyari ang hazing.

Ang alam niya, aasikasuhin ng anak ang mga kailangang dokumento para sa biyahe nito sa South Korea na bahagi ng kanyang requirement sa paaralan.

Iyon na pala ang huling pagkakataon na makikita niyang buhay ang anak na kanyang inalagaan ng labing-walong taon ngunit kinuha lang ng malulupit na miyembro ng isang fraternity.

Para kay Mang Aurelio, hindi ka nag-iisa sa pagsigaw ng katarungan sa kamatayan ng iyong anak!

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Nagtataka ako sa ipinatutupad na sistema ng mga fraternity, na ang pangunahing inilalako sa mga nais magmiyembro ay pagpapalakas ng kapatiran at samahan.

Subalit may matinding kapalit ang kapatiran na kanilang ibinibenta. Kailangang lampasan ng nais magmiyembro ang ilang pagsubok na kanilang ibibigay.

Sa una, magaan lang ang pinapagawa sa mga miyembro. Naririyan na uutusan silang bumili ng mamahaling bagay sa kaunting pera o ‘di kaya’y libreng pakain sa mga piling opisyal ng fraternity.

Ngunit langit pa ito kung ikukumpara sa mas matinding hirap na daranasin ng isang nais magmiyembro sa ngalan ng kapatiran.

Ito ang dinanas ni Guillo Cesar sa mga kamay ng mga walang pusong miyembro ng fraternity. Sayang ang magandang kinabukasan ng batang ito.

Kamakailan din, may napaulat na isang estudyante ng University of the Philippines ang naospital dahil sa hazing.

Sa Cavite naman, tatlong kabataan ang sugatan matapos sumalang sa hazing.

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Kaya panahon na upang tuldukan ito. Hindi matatapos ang kultura ng kalupitang ito hanggang hindi natin dadagdagan ang pangil ng Anti-Hazing Law.

Halos dalawang dekada nang mayroong Anti-Hazing Law ang bansa pero hanggang ngayon, marami pa rin ang namamatay dahil sa pahirap na dinaranas sa kamay ng mga fraternity.

Kaya naghain ako ng resolusyon upang imbestigahan ang mga karahasan na may kaugnayan sa hazing at humanap ng mga paraan upang ito’y mapigil sa hinaharap.

Isa sa mga nakikita kong paraan para labanan ang hazing ay ang pag-amyenda sa Anti-Hazing Law upang mabigyan ito ng dagdag na ngipin at mas maging epektibo sa pagbawas sa mga kamatayan at pinsala na dulot ng hazing.

Hindi matatapos ang kultura ng karahasan hanggang hindi natin binabago ang batas na maghahatid ng takot sa mga mi­yembro ng fraternity.

Mga Bida, sa ilalim ng batas na ito ay may parusang habambuhay na pagkabilanggo sa tinatawag na hazing-related death o pagkakakulong mula apat hanggang 17 taon, depende sa tinamong pinsala ng biktima.

Sa kabila ng mabigat na parusang ito, marami pa ring fraternities na malakas ang loob na nagsasagawa ng hazing na humahantong sa walang saysay na kamatayan ng mga bata at inosenteng biktima.

Kung ako ang tatanungin, wala nang lugar ang ‘di maka­taong pagkilos na ito sa isang sibilisado at modernong lipunan na ating ginagalawan.

Sa pagpapalago ng kapatiran at samahan, hindi makakatulong ang karahasan. Marami pang ibang mas makataong pamamaraan para mapayabong natin ang kapatiran at pagkakaisa.

Kaya sa mga kabataan na naeengganyong sumali sa fraternity, mag-isip-isip kayo. Magsilbing aral sa atin ang sinapit ni Guillo Cesar, na nasayang ang magandang kinabukasan dahil sa kagagawan ng walang pusong fraternity.

 

First Published on Abante Online

SRN-760: Anti-Hazing Law

RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE APPROPRIA TE SENATE COMMITTEES TO CONDUCT AN INVESTIGATION, IN AID OF LEGISLATION, ON THE RECURRENT DEATHS DUE TO HAZING OR OTHER INITIATION RITES WITH THE END VIEW OF AMENDING THE PROVISIONS OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8049 OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE ANTI-HAZING LAW

Whereas, the Anti-Hazing Law of 1995 prohibits physical violence during initiation rites of fraternities and similar organizations and penalizes with life imprisonment activities that result in “death, rape, sodomy or mutilation.” Under the law, if the person subjected to hazing or other forms of initiation rites suffers any physical injury or dies as a result thereof, the officers and members of the fraternity, sorority or organization who actually participated in the infliction of physical harm shall be liable as principals;

Whereas, no hazing or initiation rites in any form or manner by a fraternity, sorority or organization shall be allowed without prior written notice to the school authorities or head of organization seven (7) days before the conduct of such initiation. The written notice shall indicate the period of initiation activities which shall not exceed three (3) days, shall include the names of those to be subjected to such activities, and shall further contain an undertaking that no physical violence be employed by anybody during such initiation rites;

Whereas, on July 2012, Marc Andre Marcos, a freshman law student at San Beda College, was apparently beaten to death in a suspected hazing ritual by the Lex Leonum fraternity. On the same year, Marvin Reglos, also freshman law student at San Beda College died due to injuries allegedly sustained during hazing rites of Lambda Rho Beta. On September 2011, Nor Silongan, 16, a criminology student at Notre Dame of Tacurong College, succumbed from injuries inflicted during hazing rites of Tau Gamma Phi. On October 2010, Noel Borja, 17, an Alternative Learning Systems student, was found stuffed inside a plastic drum by the Pasig River near the Parol a compound in Binondo, Manila. On August 2010, the bruised body of 19-year· old EJ Karl Intia, a student of the University of Makati, was retrieved from a ravine in Sta. Maria, Laguna province, after undergoing initiation into Alpha Phi Omega;

Whereas, despite the express provisions of the Anti-Hazing Law, untimely and senseless deaths of neophytes occur almost every year. Another hazing death was reported last June 28, 2014. Guillo Cesar Servando, sophomore student of the De La Salle- College of St. Benilde, died due to severe beating allegedly inflicted by the members of Tau Gamma Phi fraternity during initiation rites of several neophytes;

Whereas, considering that there is a wanton disregard of the law, there is a need to review the provisions of the law in order to strengthen the regulation of the activities of fraternities and to effectively enforce the Anti-Hazing law;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, as it is hereby resolved to direct the appropriate Senate Committees to conduct an investigation, on the recurrent deaths due to hazing or other initiation rites with the end view of amending the provision of Republic Act No. 8049 otherwise known as the Anti-Hazing Law.
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Law Needs More Bite Vs. ‘Brutal’ Frats – Sen. Bam

 

Senator Bam Aquino bats for the amendment of the Anti-Hazing Law to give it more teeth and make it more effective in reducing, if not totally eliminating, hazing-related deaths and injuries.

“We need to revisit and introduce necessary amendments to Republic Act 8095 or the Anti-Hazing Law and give it more bite because it has failed to prevent hazing-related deaths and injuries since it was passed almost two decades ago,” said Aquino, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Youth.

Aquino said he would file a resolution seeking to investigate hazing-related deaths in the country and find ways to prevent it from happening in the future.

The senator made the move following the death of Guillo Cesar Servando, an 18-year-old student of the De La Salle-College of St. Benilde who allegedly died during initiation rites.

“This culture of violence will not stop unless we make the necessary changes to the law that will instill fears among fraternity members,” Aquino said.

Passed in 1995, Republic Act No. 8049 criminalizes hazing and imposing penalties on persons who inflict injuries or cause death during the process.

The law imposes the appropriately stiff penalty of Reclusion Perpetua for a hazing-related death, or imprisonment ranging from four years to 17 years, depending on the extent of the injuries of a victim.

“Despite the severe punishment imposed by the law, there are fraternities who still cross the line, resulting to senseless deaths of young and innocent lives,” the senator said.

Earlier, the senator strongly denounced the use of inhumane means because it has no space in a civilized and modern society where we live in.

“Violence is not the way to foster brotherhood and camaraderie. There are other more humane ways where we can cultivate brotherhood and unity,” he said.

Aquino also called on authorities to ensure that those behind this senseless act be brought to justice and punished for their crimes.

 

 

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