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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider Gatchalian seeks full enforcement of Anti-Hazing Act; lauds Manila court for rejecting to dismiss Atio Castillo's case

Gatchalian seeks full enforcement of Anti-Hazing Act; lauds Manila court for rejecting to dismiss Atio Castillo's case

Published Mar 6, 2022 10:02 am

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian on Sunday called for the full implementation of Republic Act No. 11053 or the Anti-Hazing Act of 2018 which is necessary to bring swift justice to victims of hazing.

Gatchalian made the call as he commended the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 11 for rejecting the 10 Aegis Juris fraternity members’ bid to dismiss the case of Horacio “Atio” Castillo III, a University of Santo Tomas freshman law student, who died after a fatal hazing incident in 2017.

“This is a big win in our crackdown against hazing, and most importantly, a big step forward in our quest to give justice to Castillo. If the fratmen are found guilty, they may face up to 40 years in prison under the old anti-hazing law (Republic Act No. 8049),” said Gatchalian in a statement.

Gatchalian said he started pushing for a stronger crackdown on hazing activities when he filed the bill as a member of the House of Representatives in the 16th Congress.

The former Valenzuela congressman said it was the outcry following the death of Castillo that awakened lawmakers to past unresolved cases of many young lives lost to hazing, that finally pushed the 17th Congress to pass the Anti-Hazing Act of 2018.

Gatchalian, who is seeking re-election in the upcoming May 2022 senatorial elections, co-authored and co-sponsored the said law.

“Today, the message is clear to hazing perpetrators: mananagot kayo sa batas (you will feel the full force of the law),” he said.

“As justice takes its course on the death of Castillo, it becomes crucial that the full force of the Anti-Hazing Act of 2018 is implemented across different sections of our society, including the academe, the police, the armed forces, and other institutions of our country,” Gatchalian added.

“Hindi na natin maaaring tanggapin na may lugar pa ang karahasan sa pagsulong ng kapatiran. At hindi na natin dapat hayaang may buhay pang mawakasan dahil sa ganitong uri ng mga karahasan (We shouldnot accept that there are violence will take place in activities that push for fraternity. And we should not allow more lives to end in this kind of violence),” he stressed.

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