CBCP calls for...
love” for other people to test their commitment to brotherhood.
“A love that reaches out to the poorest of the poor, a love that extend to all,” Mallari said.
The parents of hazing victim, Horacio “Atio” Castillo III went to the Manila Police District (MPD) yesterday to have a dialogue with John Paul Solano, the primary suspect in their son’s case, but failed to do so due to the absence of the Solano’s lawyers.
Horacio II and his wife, Carminia went to the MPD Headquarters at about 10 a.m. and waited for more than an hour to meet Solano, but the latter refused to talk to them, according to MPD Chief Supt. Joel Napoleon Coronel.
The MPD chief also confirmed that other suspects have been sending surrender feelers, one of them Antonio Trangia, one of the primary suspects in the incident. Coronel also said that they are expecting that he will turn-over the red Mitsubishi Strada (ZTV-539), which was registered under his name, and was used to transport Castillo to the Chinese General Hospital.
“I understand that he has sent feelers already to facilitate his surrender and even to surrender the vehicle that has been used. Hopefully within today, before the Senate hearing, he will be appearing here to clarify his participation or involvement. Otherwise, he’s still considered a principal suspect as of now,” Coronel told the media.
Meanwhile, Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson said initiation rites are needed to form “bondship” and instill discipline among members of a fraternity.
Even as he condemns the death of University of Santo Tomas law student Horacio “Atio” Castillo III due to hazing, Lacson said he understands why there is still hazing despite moves to curb it and why members of fraternity or sorority organizations have to undergo tough initiation processes.
“From my experience in the Philippine Military Academy (PMA), even cavaliers share this, it is primarily needed for bondship. Plus it’s needed to instill discipline. Because it’s sweeter when you get recognized after going through something dangerous,” Lacson said in a radio interview.
“To us it’s not just hazing. I admit (and) I won’t lie that there was no hazing happening at the PMA. But during our time, we are given more difficult physical exercises. We prefer to strengthen our core with sit-ups rather than get punished starting from lunch to dinner especially every Saturday noon when we don’t have any classes and upperclassmen have more free time,” said Lacson.
Lacson, a former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, is set to hold a public hearing into Castillo’s case as chair of the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs today at 6 p.m.
Invited to the Senate probe include John Paul Solano, also a member of the Aegis Juris fraternity who earlier surrendered to his office. Lacson eventually turned him over to the Manila Police District (MPD).
Lacson said this is why the Senate will hear the case of Castillo to identify whatever needs to be amended in Republic Act 8049 or the Anti-Hazing Law of 1995. Despite its title, the 22-year-old legislation still allow fraternities to practice hazing as long as it is authorized by the school or organization where they operate.
There are currently two pending bills in Congress, which seek to ban hazing: Senate Bill 199 filed by Senator Sherwin Gatchalian and House Bill 3467 of Bagong Henerasyon party-list Rep. Bernadette Herrera-Dy.
Lacson said they have also invited UST Law dean Nilo Divina to appear at the hearing to shed light on the hazing activities of the Aegis Juris fraternity.
Code of silence
Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said yesterday the “code of silence” in fraternities and threats to possible witnesses are hampering the investigation into the death of Castillo.
But Aguirre still urged more witnesses to come out and requested UST’s Aegis Juris fraternity to cooperate in the investigation.
Included in Aguirre’s lookout bulletin are Arvin Balag, Marcelino Bagtang, Zimon Padro, Jose Miguel Salamat, Carl Mattew Villanueva, Mhin Wei Chan, Marc Anthony Ventura, Axxel Munro Hipe, Oliver John Audrey Onofre, Joshua Macabali, Jason Adolfo Robinos, Ranie Rafael Santiago, Danielle Hans Mattew Rodrigo, Ged Villanueva, Milfren Alvarado, Daniel Ragos and Dave Felix. (With a report from Analou de Vera)