Schools liable if initiation rites end in hazing, solon says

Schools will be held liable if the initiation activities of fraternities, sororities and other organizations include hazing, the author of a revised anti-hazing bill said on Thursday.

"They will be liable as principals as long as they have full knowledge of the initiation rites and it ended into hazing, [and if] they did not report it to proper authorities right away," Bagong Henerasyon party-list Representative Bernadette Herrera-Dy said in a News To Go interview.

"As a matter of fact ,especially as authorities kasi meron na 'yang permission na we have to apply sa initiation rites. Pag pinayagan 'yan at walang nag-monitor, may present kang representatives eh so di ka na pwedeng maghugas ng kamay na hindi namin alam, di namin nakita," she added.

The lawmaker said that the substitute bill for House Bill 3467, or the proposed "Revised Anti-Hazing Law," seeks to prohibit hazing and regulate all other forms of initiation rites of fraternities, sororities and organizations and provide penalties for them.

The substitute bill seeks the total ban of all forms of hazing during the course of initiation rites and that only initiation rites that do not inflict direct or direct physical or psychological suffering, harm or injury to the neophyte will be allowed with compliance to certain requirements.

"Well 'yung initiation rites kasi no physical, no psychological harm should be brought to the person. 'Yung initiation rites kasi these are rituals, practices and activities as long as it does not include physical and psychological harm to the individual," Herrera-Dy said.

"'Yung talagang subject to humiliation and public embarrassment tapos ico-confine mo sa space o ikukulong mo or iwi-withhold mo sa tao ng matagal na panahon, 'yung merong mga ganong punishment o 'yung mga papatalunin ka sa isang lugar, 'yung may psychological trauma and distress na pwedeng maidulot sa isang neophyte," she added.

Herrera-Dy said that she is a member of a sorority, but added that she did not experience any physical or psychological trauma.

"We had initiation rites, [but] we didn't have to go through any physical pain. We don't have to go through embarrassment to have trauma, so sa amin sisterhood talaga," she said.

"Ang mga fraternities, sororities we have objectives naman eh. Nakakatulong naman 'to sa paaralan at tinutulungan namin 'yung kasama namin sa fraternity and sorority," she added.

Talks of amending the anti-hazing policy were once again brought into focus following the death by hazing of freshman UST law student Horacio "Atio" Castillo. — Anna Felicia Bajo/BM, GMA News