In wake of hazing incident, youth groups renew calls to abolish ROTC

Militant youth organizations, including a party-list group, have renewed calls for the passage of a law that would abolish the Reserve Officers' Training Corps.

 

The Kabataan Party-list and Anakbayan made the call following rpeorts of an alleged hazing incident in the Cadet Officer Candidate Course of De La Salle University's Naval ROTC.

 

"I believe that there is also a need for Congress to resume the deliberations of House Bill 3143, a bill that seeks to abolish ROTC," Kabataan Partylist Rep. Terry Ridon said in a statement.

 

House Bill 3143 or the National Service Training Program (NSTP) Reform Bill seeks to abolish ROTC "while strengthening the NSTP through the establishment of additional socio-civic service programs."

 

The appeal came after DLSU's student publication The Lasallian reported on Sunday the suspension of the COCC program after the university's corps commander was implicated in a hazing incident.

 

The hazing complaint came from the parents of a former cadet who was allegedly punched and locked in a cabinet by his ROTC superiors, the report said.

 

The Philippine Navy’s Naval Reserve Command, which supervises the university's ROTC program, is conducting a separate investigation into the case, it added.

 

For its part, youth group Anakbayan also condemned the alleged hazing in DLSU's COCC program.

 

"We should act now and call immediately for the abolition of ROTC in schools. ROTC is nothing but a fascist indoctrination program, which teaches students violence and blind obedience," Anakbayan National Chairperson Vencer Crisostomo said in a separate statement.

 

"ROTC should not just be kept optional, it should be totally abolished. No parent would want their children to be indoctrinated with the culture of violence and blind obedience, that the ROTC is promoting," he added.

 

Meanwhile, University President and Chancellor Bro. Ricky Laguda FSC said hazing wasn't tolerated in DLSU.

 

"Whether true or not, hazing has no place in the University or society in general… Hazing is intrinsically evil. People who do hazing have no conscience. Period,"  Laguda said in the same report.

 

Meanwhile, student groups led by the National Union of Students of the Philippines renewed calls to end hazing after reports of violence stemming from alleged hazing incidents surfaced.

 

"We need a revolutionary overhaul of our system. Yes, we have an anti-hazing law, but the political and collective will to change the backward culture and consciousness of our fraternities and organizations is imperative,”  said Sarah Elago, NUSP National President.

 

“We need to ‘enlighten’ ourselves that our fraternities and other organizations should put an end to the practice of hazing and end the cycle of violence," Elago added.

 

De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde student Guillo Cesar Servando died two weeks ago after an initiation rite that included hazing. Three other neophytes who wanted to join the Tau Gamma Phi Fraternity were also injured in the incident.

 

On the other hand, a University of the Philippines student, who is a minor, was severely injured after an alleged hazing incident.

 

"The victim is a minor, which makes it all the more important for confidentiality in all the proceedings," said UP Chancellor Michael Tan said in a statement released on Friday.

 

"I am now able to confirm that it is Upsilon Sigma Phi Fraternity that has been implicated in a hazing incident during which a UP Diliman student sustained severe injuries," Tan added in the same statement. —Amanda Fernandez/NB, GMA News