Police arrest 2 Akrho fratmen after initiation rites alarm Pardo neighborhood

Police yesterday raided a house in barangay Pardo in Cebu City and arrested two men for allegedly hazing two neophytes in a fraternity initiation rites

Stephen Ocampo, 30 and Rommel Ybañez, 22 were taken into custody and detained at the Pardo Police Station (PS-7) pending the filing of charges against them for violating Republic Act 8049 or the Anti-Hazing Law.

Ocampo was identified as the president of the Sigma-Tau chapter of the Alpha Kappa Rho fraternity.

The alleged hazing victims, Maricel Secuya, 30 and Buenaventura Badayos, 25 were released by the police and were advised to undergo a medical examination, said SP03 Joel Wenceslao, investigator at the Police Station 7.

According to Wenceslao, a concerned citizen called them at past 8 a.m. and reported the alleged commotion in Ocampo’s house in F. Jaca Street in sitio Middle Tabok-Kanal.

The caller said they were alarmed after hearing cries of pain and sound of something getting hit with a hard object.

Policemen who responded to the alarm said they too heard somebody moaning in pain prompting them to barge into the house.

“Nangabungkag na dayon sila pag-abot namo. Pagkabantay na naa nay pulis, nanagan dayon sila, mao nang upat ra’y nadakpan,” SP03 Wenceslao said.

(They immediately dispersed when they sensed that we were coming in that’s why we only caught four people.)

Wenceslao confirmed that the buttocks and thighs of the two victims were swollen, indicating that they were hit by a hard object.

Police also seized a wooden paddle that measures 32 inches with the logo of the fraternity adorning the handle. The paddle is believed to have been used to hit the victims.

Ocampo admitted that they were conducting an initiation rite inside his house, but said they were already done when the police came.

He said the initiation rites started early in the morning.

Ocampo likewise admitted that while they are aware that there is a law that criminalizes hazing (see box), they still continue with the practice as part of their fraternity’s indoctrination.

“Mag-hazing mi kay part na sa among fraternity. Once naa mi bag-o na miyembro, i-test namo sila unsa sila ka-loyal,” he said.

(Hazing is part of our fraternity. Once we have a new recruit, we test their loyalty.)

The two neophytes – Secuya and Badayos – are Ocampo’s neighbors.

Police however, said that while they advised the victims of their rights and told them to secure a medical certificate, they are not certain if the incident will develop into a full-blown criminal case.

“Gi-release dayon ang biktima pagka taod-taod. Gi-ingnan namo na padalhon ug orasyon ugma para ma-filaan ug kaso,” Wenceslao said.

(We released them shortly after questioning and we told them to get a medical certicate and submit it to them the next day so they can file a case against the suspects.)

Asked by Cebu Daily News on why they did not accompany the victims to the hospital, Wenceslao said securing a medical certificate is a personal responsibility of the victims.

Senior Supt. Mariano Natu-el, acting chief of police of Cebu City, in a separate interview, said they could not force the victims to undergo a medical examination.

“It’s up to them whether or not to submit themselves to a medical examination. We can’t force them to do so,” he said. /Christine Emily L. Pantaleon, Correspondent