A challenge to this administration

Here we go again. Another young life has been extinguished by the senseless, useless, idiotic tradition of fraternity hazing. Four neophytes come back home after an initiation, or what is more commonly known as hazing, from the hands of current and alumni members of a fraternity, in this case, the Tau Gamma Phi of College of St. Benilde. All four students are either freshmen or sophomores of the said college. As they enter One Archers Place, the guard notices their ungainly, unsteady gait, but dismisses it as drunk young kids, which is not uncommon. But then an ambulance suddenly shows up, saying that someone called for help. They rush to the room of one the four young men, and find one of them already dead on the floor. All four were brought to the Philippine General Hospital where Guillo Cesar Servando, 18, is pronounced dead on arrival. The other three received emergency medical treatment. All of the four young men's limbs were covered in bruises, indicative of trauma that can only be explained by a fraternity hazing.

What is unbelievable is that one of the neophytes even tried to deceive and mislead the investigating police by stating that the fraternity that did this to them was another fraternity, from another college, for fear of reprisal from the actual fraternity involved. His companion is dead, he may have been killed himself, and yet he covers up for the fraternity? I just do not get it. Another example of the universal fraternity motto of "he is my brother, right or wrong?"

Outrage on this latest death by hazing has steamrolled. From netizens to lawmakers, all condemn this senseless death. But some have come short of criticizing fraternities, surprise, surprise. Most probably because they are members themselves, who were lucky enough to survive hazing, and have most likely participated in hazing rituals themselves. For hazing is nothing more than getting even. A power trip. I got beaten up, I survived, so now it is my turn. Many get carried away, which is why we have deaths. And where is the fraternity that supposedly breeds brotherhood? They scamper like cockroaches when a light is turned on.

The outrage must be sustained. The outrage must be maintained. It is time to make the Anti-Hazing Law work, with teeth so as to shred all those guilty. So many deaths have occurred because of hazing, but nobody seemed to be punished for it. Alumni, mostly lawyers, come to the defense of their "brods" and fraternity, right or wrong, right? That is why settlements may be resorted, which is unbelievable. I mean, a family member is murdered, and they settle? Or in other instances, cases are actually dismissed. This explains why fraternities still go on with impunity. The law just is not scary enough for them to stop.

May this be a challenge to this administration, whose President is not a fraternity member. It is time to put a stop to this stupid tradition of inflicting pain for brotherhood. These Tau Gamma Phi members must be hunted down and punished, if they have not left the country already, as the PNP seems to be one step behind. They already have CCTV evidence. They must be arrested, put to trail, and punished to the full, harsh force of the law if found guilty.

Unless of course, we want to wait for the next victim.