Life term for hazing participants pushed

MANILA, Philippines - Alarmed by reports of hazing injuries and deaths, Sen. Vicente Sotto III proposed yesterday that anyone who participates in hazing be given the life term regardless of the condition of the victim.

Sotto has filed a bill seeking to amend Republic Act 8049 or the 17-year-old Anti-Hazing Law.

Sotto argued that the law has proven to be inadequate in deterring fatal hazing in universities and colleges and in making fraternities and sororities accountable.

The most recent victim is 25-year-old San Beda freshman law student Marvin Reglos, who was reportedly beaten to death during a hazing incident.

Sotto’s proposal came a few days after Justice Secretary Leila de Lima also sought a review of the Anti-Hazing Law. She pushed for the need to look into the liability of leaders of fraternities on the conduct of initiation rites under the law.

In his measure, Sotto wants the automatic punishment of life imprisonment for any fraternity or sorority officer or member who participates “in the infliction of physical harm in a hazing or other forms of initiation rites.”

The present law provides for a graduated level of penalty, depending on the harm that the victim suffered.

It states that life imprisonment will only be imposed if “death, rape, sodomy or mutilation” results from the hazing.

Imprisonment of 17-20 years on the other hand, is imposed if the victim “shall become insane, imbecile, impotent or blind.”

If the victim loses the use of speech, or lost an eye, or a hand or any limb, the penalty is between 14 to 17 years imprisonment.

The lightest penalty, four to six years in prison, will be meted if the victim suffers physical injuries “which do not prevent him from engaging in his habitual activity or work.”

On the other hand, Sotto’s bill seeks an absolute imposition of reclusion perpetua, whatever the condition of the victim.

“The bill seeks to amend Section 4 of the Anti-Hazing Law, where the mere fact of participation in inflicting injuries in hazing will be penalized with reclusion perpetua, regardless of the consequence,” Sotto said.

He said many lives of young students have been lost and ruined, and some are suffering from life-long injuries because of hazing.

“How many promising lives should suffer or die before we finally realize the folly of hazing? How many families, how many parents have to suffer the pain of seeing their child dead or maimed for life, before we put an end to hazing?” he asked.

“We have to make accountable, with the firmness of the law, those behind these fatal hazing. If a higher penalty will serve as a deterrence, then let’s push it,” he added.

Sotto is also proposing to include additional circumstances that will warrant the imposition of life imprisonment.

This time, he wants the maximum penalty to be handed down “when the hazing or initiation rite is committed under the influence of illegal drugs or liquor” and when a fraternity or sorority alumni is present during the hazing.

The Anti-Hazing Law was passed in 1995, yet despite this, Sotto said “there are still numerous reports of deaths and injuries. It only shows that there is a need to strengthen the law, by providing a higher penalty.”

One of the most celebrated cases was the death of Ateneo law student Leonardo “Lenny” Villa in 1991. The Supreme Court recently upheld the guilty ruling on five members of the Aquila Legis Fraternity for Villa’s death.