Think twice about joining these “brothers”

Another young person has been killed in what was supposed to be a ceremony to bring him into a group of “brothers”.

Adamson University Chemical Engineering student John Matthew Salilig died of blunt force trauma during the hazing ceremony of a fraternity last February 18 in Laguna.

Witnesses to the crime said the members of the fraternity kept beating Salilig even after he had vomited from their repeated attacks. After he died while being brought back to Metro Manila, the fratmen decided to cover their tracks by burying his body in Cavite.

Some “brothers” those turned out to be. Unfortunately, Salilig’s case cannot be described as an isolated one. Last December Ronnel Baguio, a second-year student of a university in Cebu City, allegedly died of hazing injuries. Unlike the Salilig case which has captured the attention of the president, the Baguio case may see some hard going.

The same fraternity is involved in both deaths.

Until now we still don’t understand why some groups feel the need to inflict pain or trauma on those they want to call their own. Yes, it’s true that shared trauma brings some people closer. Being exposed to the same difficult situations can cement bonds.

We can cite as examples people who went to school together, those who went through life-changing experiences together, those who survived the same disasters, those who went through the same intense athletic training, or even those who have been in combat together. They forge bonds that last a lifetime.

However, it’s different when those people you want to be closer to are the same ones causing those difficulties, are the same ones giving you pain, or are the same ones exposing you to lifethreatening danger.

Another thing about hazing is that it has a way of becoming worse, of becoming more violent and difficult. Because those who underwent it want their revenge. In other words “di paalkanse”. It’s a vicious cycle.

Needless to say, those who caused those hazing deaths need to be arrested and prosecuted, no matter what fraternity they belong to or how well-connected they are.

Another needless thing to say; some groups need to think hard and determine why they continue to propagate a culture of violence. Not all “traditions” are good or worth preserving.

Yet another needless thing to say; next time you want to join a group that thinks inflicting violence is necessary to cement bonds and will not think twice about burying your corpse in a shallow grave should you die during their hazing, think twice about joining them.