Senator Juan Miguel "Migz" Zubiri has called on key government agencies such as the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd), the Department of Education (DepEd), and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), to intensify their public awareness campaign about the dangers and legal consequences of fraternity hazing. 

This call came after the recent conviction of those responsible for the hazing death of Horacio "Atio" Castillo III and the death of another 18-year-old student in Nueva Ecija--two young lives cut short by the barbaric practice of physical initiations or hazing.

In a recent media interview, Zubiri emphasized the importance of an extensive information campaign to inform students and the public about the serious consequences of engaging in the practice of physically hurting neophytes to join a brotherhood or fraternity.

“I think (last Tuesday’s) conviction, after seven long years, is something that will really be, I'd say, a deterrence,” Zubiri said.

He added that although there was a conviction, the public needs to fully understand the legal ramifications of participating in such heinous acts.

Zubiri, also a former Senate President, said that Castillo’s killers were convicted under the 1995 Anti-Hazing Law and not under the 2018 version of the statute and, hence, no school official was convicted for the death of the student.

The Bukidnon senator is one of the authors and sponsors of the new law. He says the issue is very important to him since he was very close to the family of Castillo.

“It saddens me. It really was sad that time because the father of Atio Castillo is actually my classmate in San Agustin. His daughter was working for me as an intern when he died. So, just one afternoon I arrived in the office and she was just crying. And she told me that they found a lifeless body of her brother,” he lamented.

“And that really sparked outrage, not only from my office, but everyone else in the whole country. And it was so sad because we had an anti-hazing law, but nothing was happening. So many people were dying due to hazing and yet they were not afraid.”

Although he was glad that 10 members of the fraternity were convicted and sentenced to reclusion perpetua, Zubiri said that school officials should have been punished, too.

“Of course, nararamdaman ko po ang galit ng pamilya na hindi naisama ang eskwelahan (I also felt the frustration of the family that the school was not included),” he said.

He said that since 2018, many young men have died or continue to suffer from hazing, as some fraternities never gave up this "barbaric" practice.

Among the fatalities were:

1. Darwin Dormitorio, fellow PMA cadets, September 2019; 
2. Omer Despabiladeras, Tau Gamma Phi, February 2020; 
3. Robert John Limpioso Fernandez, Alpha Kappa Rho, August 2020; 
4. Joselito Envidiado, Tau Gamma Phi, November 2020;
5. Jonash Bondoc, collegiate hazing, July 2021; 
6. Mark Lester Miranda, died of hazing ritual, September 2021;
7. George Karl Magsayo, police hazing in PNPA, September 2021;
8. Reymarc Rabutazo, Tau Gamma Phi, March 2022;
9. Jaypee De Guzman Ramores, police hazing, July 2022;
10. August Caezar Saplot, Alpha Kappa Rho, September 2022;
11. Ronnel Baguio, Tau Gamma Phi, December 2022;
12. John Matthew Salilig, Tau Gamma Phi, February 2023;
13. Ahldryn Lery Bravante, Tau Gamma Phi, October 2023;
14. Vince Andrew Delos Reyes, collegiate hazing, July 2024;
15. Ren Joseph Bayan, Tau Gamma Phi, September 2024.

Zubiri noted that, despite the Anti-Hazing Act of 2018, some sectors of the academic community remain reluctant to eradicate hazing practices because many faculty members themselves are members of the alumni of these Greek-lettered organizations or fraternities. 

“I'll be honest with you. Even many members of the academe are members of fraternities and sororities in their schools, (and) they went through that, I guess, baptism of fire. And so, because of that, it's so difficult to get out of their system, their mindset, that this is an illegal act. It is an immoral act, and it should be stopped. So, there's hesitation on that part,” he explained.

Zubiri says he would ask DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara and CHEd Chairman Popoy De Vera to at least release a strongly worded memo to schools and universities warning organizations, fraternities, and other groups that hazing is a criminal act and will be punished under the law.

“Maybe we should look at the implementing rules and regulations, get the DILG involved, get the CHEd involved, get the DepEd involved,” he said.


Zubiri also highlighted the role that educational institutions should play in combating hazing culture, and that CHEd or the DILG should be working with universities and colleges to put a stop to hazing.

Involvement of frat leaders

He stressed the importance of involving fraternity leaders in condemning violent hazing practices. 

“We'd like to make an appeal also to Tau Gamma Phi, because apparently they were also involved in this last hazing incident. And also in 2023, if I'm not mistaken," Zubiri noted.

He says not everyone in Tau Gamma Phi is a bad person and that there are senators and members of the House who are members of the group. He added that there are even Cabinet secretaries who are members of Tau Gamma Phi and they are law-abiding citizens.

“Now, I'm appealing to them. If you can get in touch with your fraternity and make the case that this is already an illegal activity, which is punishable by reclusion perpetua,” he said.

“We need their leaders to come out and speak up against this culture of violence that's still being done in their fraternity,”  he added.