EDITORIAL - Another hazing death

There were two developments involving hazing recently, one good the other bad.

The first development is yesterday’s conviction of 10 members of the Aegis Juris fraternity who were involved in the hazing death of University of Santo Tomas Law freshman Horacio “Atio” Castillo in 2017.

The Manila Regional Trial Court Branch sentenced Mhin Wei Chan, Jose Miguel Salamat, John Robin Ramos, Marcelino Bagtang Jr., Arvin Balag, Ralph Trangia, Axel Munro Hipe, Oliver Onofre, Joshua Macabali and Hans Matthew Rodrigo to reclusion perpetua or 20 to 40 years in prison for Castillo’s death.

In the second development last Sunday night, another student has died trying to enter a “brotherhood”. According to reports, Ren Joseph Bayan, 18, died during final initiation rites by members of the Tau-Gamma Phi fraternity in Nueva Ecija.

Members of the fraternity allegedly brought Bayan’s lifeless body to his house before fleeing.

What is it with young men and trying to enter “exclusive” organizations? And more importantly, why is it that some such organizations see the need to inflict unnecessary pain and suffering on others --sometimes to the point of death-- before they can call them brother?

Like Castillo, Bayan does now belong to a group. But this group isn’t a fraternity, rather, it’s a group of people who died as a result of the physical punishment and torture brought upon them by so-called brothers. The other members of this group are Leonardo Villa, Ronnel Baguio, August Caezar Saplot, and Frederick Cahiyang, just to name a few.

As long as young men are drawn to the allure of joining an “elite” group, and as long as such groups continue to perpetuate this cycle of violence on their so-called own then we will see this endless cycle of hazing deaths and convictions continue. And this doesn’t go for just fraternities but also military and police institutions as well.

But the sad fact is that while the deaths from hazing are more certain, the convictions for hazing deaths aren’t.