Lyceum students in hazing expelled

MANILA, Philippines — All the students implicated in the hazing of a former tourism student in the Lyceum of the Philippines have been expelled, the university clarified Thursday.

Sandra Recto, director of the Communication and Public Affairs Department at the Lyceum, corrected an item in The STAR editorial on Sept. 19 that the hazing suspects had returned to the school.

“We wish to correct this statement. The administrative case filed by Ms. Larissa Colleen M. Alilio against the identified members of Tau Gamma Sigma sorority was immediately attended to and referred to the University Board of Discipline,” Recto wrote in a letter to The STAR.

“After investigation, the university imposed the sanctions of exclusion and non-re-admission on the concerned students on April 21, 2017.”

Alilio, 18, complained to police that members of the Tau Gamma Sigma sorority in Lyceum harassed and threatened her until she agreed to join the group. She was then told to join the group’s “outing.”

The hazing was held for several hours last Jan. 8 at the Beatstop Sports Grill in Barangay Talon Dos in Las Piñas, where she said she was slapped and beaten with a paddle and belt at least 50 times as she knelt blindfolded before about 40 people including men. Her hair was pulled and hot candle wax was poured on her back. The suspects then put her in an Uber taxi that took her home. Alilio needed hospitalization for her injuries.

Alilio, the daughter of Mayor Eulalio Alilio of Lemery, Batangas, has dropped out of Lyceum and reportedly remains traumatized.

The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group filed charges for violation of the Anti-Hazing Law or Republic Act 8049 against 14 suspects, led by Tau Gamma Sigma grand master Mary Claire de la Cruz. Among the others charged are Princess Belleza, alias Yunara; Patricia Ann Therese Mila, alias Yuna; Mohammed Famie Sakaluran and Ronald Jeric Dimatulac.

The caretaker of the bar, Tau Gamma Phi member Aaron “Popeye” Garcia, surrendered to the police a few days after the hazing.