Lawmakers want ‘fraternity violence’ in UP probed

University of the Philippines Oblation statue at UP Diliman in Quezon City. INQUIRER PHOTO / EDWIN BACASMAS

MANILA, Philippines — Ako Bicol Rep. Alfredo Garbin Jr. and Bagong Henerasyon Rep. Bernadette Herrera-Dy have called for an investigation into the reported fraternity violence in the University of the Philippines.

This came after screenshots of supposed conversation among alleged members of Sigma Rho fraternity about a hazing incident were recently posted by a Twitter user, prompting the hashtag “#EndFRV” or fraternity-related violence to gain traction in the social media platform.

Garbin, one of the authors of the Anti-Hazing Act of 2018 and a Tau Gamma Phi member, said a congressional inquiry is necessary on the “long and plagued history” of fraternity violence in UP.

He also said the law does not prevent UP President Danilo Concepcion from preventively suspending the entire Sigma Rho fraternity or banning them from UP, “should these actions become necessary.”

Garbin likewise urged the National Privacy Commission, Department of Justice, and Department of Information and Communication Technology to require Twitter to submit all electronic evidence of the alleged hazing incident.

“Violence for the sake of ‘brotherhood’ is not and will never be tolerated,” he added.

Herrera-Dy, meanwhile, implored Commission on Higher Education Chair Prospero de Vera to render frequent status reports on hazing and fraternity-related incidents in universities and colleges nationwide to ensure efficient implementation of the Republic Act No. 11053.

Talks on hazing recently resurfaced after the hazing death of Philippine Military Academy (PMA) cadet Darwin Dormitorio last September 18. Col. Allen Rae Co, chief of Baguio Police Provincial Office, said Dormitorio was beaten up by fellow cadets because of missing combat boots.

READ: PMA cadet beaten up over missing boots – police

In July last year, President Rodrigo Duterte signed into law RA11053 that seeks to ban all forms of hazing and impose stiffer penalties against violators.

READ: Duterte signs law that bans all forms of hazing

This came following public outrage on the death of a University of Santo Tomas freshman law student, Horacio “Atio” Castillo III, due to hazing in September 2017. /kga

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