Senate to probe Atio Castillo hazing death next week

The Senate public order committee will conduct a probe into the death of freshman UST law student Horacio Tomas "Atio" Castillo III next week.

Senator Miguel Zubiri filed a resolution on Tuesday “condemning in the strongest sense” the death of Castillo. The probe also seeks to “hold accountable those responsible for the senseless act.”

On Wednesday, Zubiri delivered a privilege speech on Castillo’s death, saying “no one deserves to die from hazing, from a brutal and senseless death.”

The victim’s sister, Nicole, was present at the session hall during Zubiri’s speech. She works as an intern for Zubiri. Her father, Horacio Jr., was the senator’s classmate from grade school to high school.

“When will these barbaric acts of so-called brotherhoods stop? You are supposed to welcome them and protect them as family and not hurt them and kill them,” Zubiri said.

“No wonder the culture of violence never ends in our country as those who swear an oath to defend our laws are the same ones who commit the violence. This must stop now,” he added.

Zubiri called for the enactment of a law that would prohibit hazing, not just regulate it. Republic Act No. 8049 regulates hazing and other forms of initiation rites in fraternities, sororities, and other organizations.

Zubiri noted that since the enactment of the law, only one conviction was decided by the court.

“I cringe at the though that the current law, RA 8049, has become just a law in paper, ineffective if not inutile in regulating and preventing deaths from hazing. I feel ashamed that all these years, while our youth are dying, we have not done enough,” he said.

Brutal death

Senator Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV also filed a separate resolution to probe Castillo’s death.

“There is a need to improve the existing mechanisms for the deterrence of hazing-related crimes,” Aquino said, adding that the community and the schools and universities are integral in ensuring that the crimes of the past will not happen again to pre-empt deaths of new members.

Lacson, who chairs the Senate public order committee, said he intends to schedule a hearing on Monday, 6 p.m.

Senator Joel Villanueva, an alumnus of UST, also condemned the death of Castillo.

“No type of brotherhood can ever equate to the sanctity of life. Hinding-hindi nasusukat sa karahasan ang tunay na kapatiran,” Villanueva said.

Senator Loren Legarda, meanwhile, questioned the logic behind fraternities, saying friends who treat each other as brothers should not hurt each other.

“What is it about the youth of today that promotes this kind of brutality?...Anong klaseng kahayupan ang nagaganap sa mga kabataan na sadyang sinasaktan at pinaptay ang kanilang kaibigan at kapatid sa kanilang mga fraternity?” Legarda said.

Aegis Juris

Castillo, a freshman law student at the University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Civil Law, died after attending the "welcoming rites" of the Aegis Juris fraternity on Saturday night.

Authorities had confirmed that he died from injuries sustained during hazing.

The victim's family learned about the incident when his mother Carminia Castillo received an anonymous text message saying that her son was brought to the Chinese General Hospital. — RSJ/KVD, GMA News