Frat member implicated in UP hazing incident dies —UP Diliman

One of the frat members who was implicated in a hazing incident in the University of the Philippines (UP) has died, the UP-Diliman chancellor said on Sunday.

In a statement, the UP-Diliman Office of the Chancellor asked students, faculty, staff and other concerned parties even outside the university to stop posting about the death of the Sigma Rho Fraternity member.

“I appeal to all its students, faculty and staff, as well as other concerned parties in and out of UP Diliman, to stop posting and forwarding social media messages related to the death of one of the Sigma Rho Fraternity members implicated in last week’s online exposé of the fraternity’s hazing,” it read.

UP Diliman Chancellor Michael Tan also encouraged them to do so out of decency and respect for the privacy of the family.

According to Tan, the school has initiated administrative action after the exposé surfaced online to serve justice for the hazing victims.

“Sensationalism is itself a form of violent assault, and is not the solution to the fraternity culture of violence,” the statement read.

Recently, netizens learned of an alleged hazing incident in UP Diliman allegedly involving Sigma Rho Fraternity after a Twitter user posted photos.

Ako Bicol party-list Representative Alfredo Garbin, author of the Anti-Hazing law, on Friday urged UP to reveal everything it knew about the said hazing incident.

“Nothing less than a full-scale investigation and public hearing is necessary to confront directly the latest reported incident of hazing in the long and plagued history of fraternity violence in the University of the Philippines," he added.

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, in a statement on Saturday, said the entire fraternity, and not only the suspects, should be suspended pending the results of probe.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III meanwhile believes a legislative inquiry over the said hazing incident is no longer needed.

"Palagay ko hindi na kailangan kami na mag-hearing pa diyan. Air-tight na 'yung kinasa naming Anti-Hazing law," Sotto said.

"Wala na, kumpleto 'yun eh," he said. —Joviland Rita/KG, GMA News