Suspected hazing victims vanish; detained fratmen freed

The two recruits who were beaten up in a fraternity initiation held in  F. Jaca Street in barangay Pardo last Sunday could no longer be found, Cebu City police said yesterday.

SPO3 Roger Degamo said the victims Maricel Secuya and  Buenaventura Badayos could not be found  in their homes in sitio Middle Tabok Kanal.

But he said there were witnesses who saw several fraternity  members in Secuya’s home.

“Daghan nangadto na Akrho (Alpha Kappa Rho fraternity) sa ilang balay ni Maricel (There were many Akrho members in Maricel’s home),” Degamo said.

Secuya and Badayos  refused to  undergo medical examination after police interrupted a hazing rite held at F. Jaca Street  by the suspects Rommel Ybañez of Akrho and Sigma-Tau chapter president Stephen Ocampo.

Both Ocampo and Ybañez were detained at the Pardo police precinct but were released before the 12-hour reglamentary period for detention.

Degamo said Secuya’s brother told them that he and Badayos were unwilling to file charges.

He said the two reasoned that they voluntarily joined the hazing.

“We also went tp Badayos  but some said he was out in the streets working,” Degamo said.

“We need the affidavits of Badayos and Secuya to press charges,,” Degamo said.

Senior Supt. Mariano Natu-el, acting Cebu City police chief, said he ordered his precinct community relations officers to hold forums in schools to discuss the ban on hazing.  Correspondents Christine Emily L. Pantaleon and Chito Aragon