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[av_heading heading=’ Schools must regulate fraternities – Pimentel ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY PRINCE GOLEZ
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MANILA – Universities and colleges should subject fraternities and similar organizations to regulation, Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III said.
They should officially recognize such organizations and must “exert all possible efforts” to ensure they comply with Republic Act 8049, which regulate hazing rites, as prerequisite to recognition, he said.
Pimentel said this in light of the death of University of Santo Tomas freshman law student Horacio Castillo III due to injuries he allegedly sustained during hazing rites of the Aegis Juris fraternity.
The law regulating hazing rites was passed 20 years ago but has “failed to deter physical violence against neophytes,” Pimentel said.
The law allows initiation rites if the fraternity sends a written notice to school authorities a week before the activity. At least two school representatives must attend the rites to ensure no violence is used, said the law.
But Sen. Franklin Drilon was pushing for a “total ban” on hazing.
Drilon admitted he had undergone hazing when he entered the Sigma Rho fraternity of the University of the Philippines College of Law.
“Section 2 of the law, if you read it, mukhang pinapayagan ang hazing basta may notice,” he said. “Of course, kung may masaktan ay ibang bagay iyon, pero iyong initiation and hazing e basta mayroon kang notice, mukhang pinapayagan.”
“Bagama’t mukhang hindi iyan ang intention ng batas. But the way it is worded, it appears that way,” said the Senate minority leader.
Drilon said his hazing experience “helped me to come to the conclusion that we should ban it.”
Schools should strictly require fraternities to submit a list of their officers and members, as well as their activities for the semester or school year, Pimentel said.
Organizations similar to fraternities should name a faculty adviser, who will help the schools monitor their activities, he said.
“If fraternities do not meet these requirements, then they should not be recognized and should have no business operating inside the campus,” said Pimentel.
“If school authorities receive information that these groups continue to defy their rules and regulations, then they should not hesitate to sanction erring students with suspension or even heavier penalties,” he said./PN
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