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[av_heading heading=’PARENTS NOT SUING HAZERS | Pototan police release 14 students from detention’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY RUBY P. SILUBRICO
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Wednesday, March 29, 2017
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ILOILO City – Fourteen college students caught paddling five neophytes on F. Parcon Street, Pototan, Iloilo were released from detention yesterday morning.
No complaints were filed against them, according to Chief Inspector Bonifacio Alabe, Pototan police chief.
The students were members of Triskelion De Visayas or Tau Gamma Phi fraternity. Keeping them in detention for over 36 hours without charges would be illegal.
The parents of the five neophytes signed affidavits of non-interest in pursuing charges, Alabe told Panay News.
“We released them after the parents of the five students told us they were not interested in suing the 14,” said Alabe.
Before they were set free, the students were reminded not to violate Republic Act (RA) 8049, the law regulating hazing and other forms of initiation rites in fraternities, sororities, and other organizations, added Alabe.
The students were caught around 2:20 p.m. on March 26. Somebody called the police about an ongoing hazing.
The severest punishment a violator of RA 8049 can get is life imprisonment if hazing results to death, rape, sodomy or mutilation.
Varying lengths of years of imprisonment may be meted to those who actually participated in the infliction of physical harm during hazing if this results to the following:
* insanity, imbecile, impotency or blindness
* loss of speech or the power to hear or to smell, or loss of an eye, a hand, a foot, an arm or a leg
* deformity or loss of any other part of the body, or loss of the use thereof, or becomes ill or incapacitated to perform an activity or work habitually engaged
Also under the law, the owner of the place where hazing is conducted shall be liable as an accomplice when he has actual knowledge of the hazing but failed to take any action to prevent it.
If the hazing is held in the home of one of the officers or members of the fraternity, group or organization, the parents shall be held liable as principals when they have actual knowledge of the hazing but failed to prevent it.
The 14 released fraternity members – mostly residents of Pototan – were the following:
* Jasper Jamotillo, 21
* Christian Cordero, 23
* Charles Paredes, 23
* Neil Simon, 21
* John Rey Ponce, 19
* Karl Dominic Salvilla, 23
* Angelo Pastolero, 22
* Andrew Dosado, 20
* Ron Arlie Lao, 19
* Joseph Pelobello, 24
* Nathaniel Gregory Pendon, 23
* Mark Anthony Pusa, 21
* Rigel Pertollano, 23
* Dave Fuentes, 21.
Meanwhile, the five neophytes – all residents of Pototan – were sent home after getting medical treatment at the Iloilo Provincial Hospital in Barangay Rumbang, Pototan for bruises on their thighs. Police said they urged their parents not to file charges against the 14 because they (the five) voluntarily agreed to have themselves paddled anyway.
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p class=”MsoNoSpacing”>The five were Jones De Guzman, 18; Rizalde Pagulong, 22; Eduardo Abido, 26; Edimar Pre
