Senate to begin investigation of law freshman’s death
The Senate is set to probe the death of Horacio Castillo III, a freshman student at the Faculty of Civil Law, due to alleged hazing.
Senators Miguel Zubiri filed Senate Resolution 504, calling for the investigation of Castillo’s death.
Zubiri, a classmate of the father’s victim, criticized the Republic Act 8049 or the Anti-Hazing Law of 1995 as “ineffective” and “inutile” law during his privilege speech yesterday.
He cited the case of the University of the Philippines-Los Baños student Marlon Villanueva who also died due to hazing in 2006.
However, the direct involvement of the convicted members of the Alpha Phi Omega over Villanueva’s death remains unproven.
“We have a law against hazing but only one conviction has been decided by our courts amid hundreds of deaths,” Zubiri said.
The senator pointed out that RA 8049 “has only been a law on paper” and only penalizes the participants if the hazing results to injury or death.
He said the resolution in the law will penalize participants with reclusion perpetua and a fine of P 3 million, if the hazing rites will lead to mutilation, rape, or death.
“It is about time that we prohibit hazing. We need to pass a new law that will not only regulate hazing but prevent it outright, Brotherhood or sisterhood should not be realized at the expense of the lives and future of our youth. We should stop these senseless deaths of your youth,” he said.
The Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs chaired by Sen. Panfilo Lacson will conduct the investigation, with Sen. Richard Gordon’s justice committee as the secondary panel. The hearing would be on Sept. 25.
Authorities said that Castillo has died of massive heart attack possibly due to the injuries he suffered.
His remains lie at the Sanctuario De San Antonio in Forbes Park, Makati City.
— P. Jamilla and V. Ferreras
