Senate seeks total ban on hazing

The Senate committees that investigated the death of University of Santo Tomas (UST) law freshman Horacio “Atio” Castillo released yesterday a joint report recommending amendments to the Anti-Hazing Law, to include a total ban on hazing.

The report also recommended disbarment proceedings against UST law dean Nilo Divina and other lawyers who are members of the fraternity.

The report was prepared by the Senate committees on public order and dangerous drugs and justice and human rights chaired by Senators Panfilo Lacson and Richard Gordon, respectively.

Senators probed Castillo’s death during initiation rites of the Aegis Juris fraternity on Sept. 17, 2017.

“Hazing needs to stop now. Awareness must be raised as to the fact that there is no unity, no brotherhood, no strength, no honor, no dignity and no respect in hazing. Hazing is merely violence and abuse,” Lacson said.

He also filed a bill yesterday seeking to prohibit all forms of hazing in fraternities, sororities or organizations in schools, communities as well as businesses and uniformed service learning institutions.

The measure requires schools to be “more active and proactive” in regulating school-based initiation rites, with fraternities, sororities and organizations required to submit a written application at least seven days prior to the scheduled date.

Lacson said schools should send representatives to monitor, record and report initiation rites to ensure that no hazing would be conducted.

Penalties of up to 40 years in prison and P3 million fine are among the measures being eyed to prevent deaths due to hazing.

Divina expressed disappointment that the Senate committees “did not favorably consider my explanations despite being anchored on the truth.”

“My conscience is clear. I did not do anything wrong, illegal or unethical. I did all I could have done under the circumstances to prevent incidents of hazing from happening during my watch as dean of the UST Faculty of Civil Law,” Divina said in a statement.