Palace forms task force to review Anti-Hazing Law

MANILA, Philippnes - The government has created a task force to review the Anti-Hazing Law and strengthen the response to fraternity violence, Malacañang announced on Monday.

Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. signed Memorandum Circular 68 on August 28 forming the task force to be led by Justice Secretary Leila De Lima.

Among the key functions of the task force is to review the 19-year-old Anti-Hazing Law or Republic Act 8049 and boost its implementation following the incidents of fraternity violence involving students from two prominent universities last July.

"President Aquino shares the concern of many parents and educators over the violations of the Anti-Hazing Law," Ochoa was quoted as saying in an article posted on the website of the Presidential Communications Operations OfficePCOO).

"The task force seeks to address the need to ensure that there is justice for hazing fatalities and their families. At the same time, we have to look at whether the law can be improved so that its objectives are met," Ochoa added.

Aquino has criticized  the continuing practice of violent initiation rites among fraternities following the death of College of St. Benilde sophomore Guillo Cesar Servando.

"To inflict such harm on people you will call brothers really escapes any logic that I can fathom," Aquino told media last July.

He urged fraternity leaders to put an end to fraternity hazing.

"I would like to call upon all the elders of these various fraternities," Aquino said. "Even if you had to undergo the same, isn't about time that you are the most active in making sure that it stops?" 

Under the memorandum circular, De Lima may directly give operational instructions to any member agencies of the task force, which include the Departments of National Defense and the Interior and Local Government, the Commission on Higher Education, the Philippine National Police, the National Youth Commission and the Office of the Deputy Executive Secretary for Legal Affairs.

The PCOO said the inter-agency task force will also formulate policies and develop modes of coordinating and monitoring of the implementation of programs, projects and guidelines to prevent hazing fatalities.

The task force will submit a periodic report to the Office of the President.  - Louis Bacani