(TW: Mentions and descriptions of physical abuse, sexual abuse, and rape)
What is hazing?
Exclusivity is a common element in a select number of places, like organizations, workplaces, and the like. In an attempt to regulate who is able to be granted membership or admission, most of these places turn to various forms of screening processes or initiations, such as interviews, auditions, and etc. One form of screening that is both highly discouraged and illegal in most parts of the world, including the Philippines, is the act of hazing.
Hazing is an initiation implemented by some groups wherein people, prior to officially joining the group, must participate in an activity, regardless of whether or not they are willing to do so. Unfortunately, these tend to involve rather violent, intimidating, and compromising acts which significantly affect the person-in-question’s health and well-being.
Hazing is commonly performed in a number of places. In the Philippines, multiple cases of hazing have been reported in fraternities, sororities, school organizations, and in military or army training.
Why does hazing happen?
There has yet to be a clear explanation as to why hazing occurs. However, surveys and conclusions from anthropologists and researchers state that the veteran members of select groups often use hazing as a mechanism to determine whether a person is “worthy” of becoming part of the group. Others relate hazing to a specific symbolism in a young person’s life, saying that such an experience solidifies the pledge of the person to the group.
Such becomes a repeated cycle, as members who experienced hazing in the past continue to inflict it on the future generations of members prior to their admission to the group.
Source: Stop Hazing
Anti-Hazing Act of 2018
Because of the highly alarming number of injuries and deaths related to hazing, laws have also been implemented to prevent the continuance of such acts. In 2018, Duterte signed into law the Republic Act No. 11053 or the Anti-Hazing Act of 2018, which completely prohibits hazing in the Philippines.
According to this law, organizations that wish to hold initiation rites will now need to submit a written application to school authorities containing detailed descriptions of the initiation and will need two (2) school representatives to be present during the act.
Fines and penalties will also be imposed onto those responsible for the hazing. If the action results in death, rape, sodomy, or mutilation, a P3-million fee will be imposed together with a penalty of reclusion perpetua. For hazing that does not result in such harm, a P2-million fee will be imposed with the penalty of reclusion perpetua.
In these cases, waivers and consent forms will be considered null and void and will not be able to protect those responsible.
** reclusion perpetua - a prison sentence of 20 to 40 years
Recent cases of Hazing in the Philippines
Unfortunately, despite the number of laws preventing hazing in the country, there are still deaths and cases resulting from hazing in the Philippines. One of which, occured in February 2020 and resulted in the unfortunate death of Omer Despabiladeras, a 23-year-old criminology student.
The act was committed by members of the Tau Gamma Fraternity in Barangay San Vicente. According to reports, Despabiladeras had collapsed in the middle of the hazing and was rushed to the hospital where he was declared dead on arrival. He had a sustained hematoma, wherein clotted blood within tissues on his back, legs, and other parts of his body had swelled to the point that they turned solid.
Together with Despabiladeras was another student, Alfredo Gonia, who was also injured in the incident.
As of the moment, twelve (12) members of the fraternity have been arrested for violating RA 11053 with no recommended bail. The police are still searching for ten (10) more fraternity members also involved in the act.
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