Solon seeks review of anti-hazing law

THE RED-GATED house in Barangay Palanan, Makati City, allegedly served as the hazing site used by the Tau Gamma Phi fraternity for “welcoming” aspiring members. Authorities were led to the property on Wednesday following the death of alleged hazing victim Guillo Cesar Servando. NINO JESUS ORBETA and LYN RILLON

MANILA, Philippines—The back-to-back incidents of fraternity violence at the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde and the University of the Philippines in Diliman underscore the need to revisit the Anti-Hazing Law, a lawmaker said on Friday.

“Republic Act 8049 has not been effective in putting a stop to violent hazing and it does not hold accountable school administrators whenever injuries and death result from initiation rites conducted by fraternities,” Valenzuela Rep. Sherwin T. Gatchalian said.

In a statement, the legislator observed that “whenever there are incidents of violent hazing involving their students, the standard reply of school administrators is that they prohibit fraternities and they discourage students from joining such groups.”

He said educational institutions should be the ones held accountable when neophytes suffer physical harm or death from hazing.

“Parents entrust their children’s safety to school authorities, who should be able to monitor what is happening in their own backyard and be liable for any trouble, especially hazing,” Gatchalian said.

Gatchalian is pushing for the repeal of RA 8049 and proposing a bill that will put an end to the practice of violent hazing in schools.

“The so-called Anti-Hazing Law is a misnomer. It does not prohibit hazing but only regulates it. We need a new law that will put and end to violent hazing which has caused the senseless death of Guillo Cesar Servando and serious injuries to a UP-Diliman student,” said Gatchalian.

RA 8049 allows hazing activities in schools under certain conditions, such as a written notice to the school authorities a week before it is to be held, and the assignment of two school representatives during the initiation.

Besides fraternity leaders and members responsible for the actual hazing, the law penalizes school authorities, including faculty members, “who consent to the hazing or who have actual knowledge thereof, but failed to take any action,” as accomplices to the crime.