Senator Francis Tolentino on Tuesday, March 7 urged officials from the academe to beef-up its monitoring on the activities of “non-recognized” organizations within their respective colleges and universities.
Tolentino, chairman of the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights, made the remarks following the Upper House’s inquiry on Tuesday, March 7, in connection with the death of Adamson University student John Matthew Salilig who died due to hazing last month.
“They could have monitored activities of non-recognized organizations. Tungkulin nila iyon eh (it is their duty) . Makikita naman iyan, kumpol kumpol lagi iyan eh (They can see them because they are always around),” said Tolentino during a press briefing right after the inquiry.
According to Tolentino, although the school management of the Adamson University made it clear that fraternities like “Tau Gamma Phi” are supposedly banned in their campus, it seems that its underground chapter continues to conduct activities within the premises of the said educational institution.
“We heard the President of Adamson University say that fraternities are banned in their university. However, also through Facebook, we see how the Triskelion-Adamson Chapter so freely conducts the activities of their organization within school premises,” Tolentino stressed during the course of the Senate probe.
Salilig, a chemical engineering student died last February 18 due to “severe blunt force trauma to the lower extremities” after his supposed initiation rites with other members Tau Gamma Phi-Adamson Chapter.
The Zamboanga City native’s decomposing body was found dumped in a vacant lot along Barangay Malagasang in Imus City, Cavite 10 days later.
Tolentino explained that although the current Anti-Hazing Act of 2018 is stricter than the previous laws against hazing, the senator thinks that there is an urgent need to amend it and fine-tune some provisions—including the command responsibilities of the educational institutions—so that it will have enough teeth against future violators.
“Ang kailangan lang po natin matukoy kung ano po talaga ang responsibilidad ng isang eskwelahan (We want to pinpoint the responsibilities of schools) under that ‘loco parentis’ doctrine. Is it not the responsibility of educational institutions under RA 11053 to exercise reasonable supervision in loco parentis over the conduct of students?” said Tolentino.
“The line is murky in so far as school-based and organization-based or community-based. But the venue is still in far-flung barangays, yung walang nakakarinig, walang nakakakita (barangays where no one hears, nobody sees anything),” he added.