A triumph of Justice

Fraternities should listen to what the Supreme Court has said about hazing.

      

In a decision penned by Associate Justice Jose Mendoza, the high court's Second Division affirmed the conviction of Alpha Phi Omega fraternity members Dandy Dungo and Gregorio Sibal by the Laguna Regional Trial Court Branch 36.

      

The two were sentenced to reclusion perpetua or imprisonment of a minimum 20 years and a day to 40 years for the killing of Marlon Villanueva, a 21-year-old agriculture economics student at UP Los Baños and neophyte of the fraternity.

Villanueva died after being subjected to physical initiation rites in Barangay Pansol, Calamba City on January 14, 2006.

      

The Hugh Court's ruling is significant as this is the first-ever conviction under Republic Act No. 8049 or the Anti-Hazing Law.

      

In its ruling, the high tribunal said even if Dungo and Sibal were not proven to have participated in the initiation rites, evidence still showed the two bringing the victim to the venue of the initiation rites and later rushing him to the Jose P. Rizal Memorial Hospital in Barangay Halang where the victim was pronounced dead.

      

"Not only did they induce the victim to attend the hazing activity, the petitioners also actually participated in it based on prima facie evidence. These acts are sufficient to establish their roles in the conspiracy of hazing," the court said.

      

The SC also said it was only logical and proper for the prosecution to have only presented circumstantial evidence, and not details of the initiation rites, given that hazing is "shrouded in secrecy... (and) fraternities and sororities are secretive in nature and their members are reluctant to give information regarding initiation rites."

      

A number of fatal hazing incidents have been reported in the past, but this is the first time that suspects have been convicted and will be put behind bars for their crime. With its ruling, the SC gives the anti-hazing law enough teeth and should make fraternities think twice about continuing hazing activities that sometimes lead to fatal results. -End-

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