MANILA – Despite signing a law that banned hazing n the culture of fraternities, President Rodrigo Duterte admitted it would be impossible to stop these barbaric initiation rites.
In a speech before his departure for a state visit in Russia on Tuesday night, President Duterte said that banning fraternities in the country or make hazing a criminal offense could be options but it will cause constitutional issues.
“Di na tala matanggal ‘yan unless you ban fraternities for all time; make it criminal offense but it will raise many constitutional issues,” President Duterte said. ‘Di talaga mapigilan ‘yan, pero dapat ‘yung tama tama lang, pag madala sa ospital mabuhay.”
The Chief Executive also recalled that he himself went through a brutal beating when he joined the Lex Talionis fraternity in San Beda Law School.
“Ikaw pumasok ka, pag nahuli ka, sorry ka. ‘Wag lang sumobra. Pag sinobrahan mo, there are rules to follow: you break the rules, you go to jail. Ganoon lang ‘yan or you die. Those are simple matters in life,” he said.
Duterte added: “hazing that’s carried too far, human degradation, you order the plebes to perform mga oral sex, hindi trabaho ng lalaki ‘yan. Hiyain mo sa isang session, pag mga ka-brod mo na, ano na tingin mo sa kanya? Ano tingin sa ‘yo? That will create lifetime animosity.”
In June 2018, Duterte had signed the Anti-Hazing Act of 2018 or Republic Act No. 11053, which bans all forms of hazing.
Prior to the passage of this law, hazing was prohibited only when there’s no prior written notice to school authorities or the organization head./PN
