45 minors rescued from gang hazing in Zamboanga

ZAMBOANGA CITY  , Philippines  —  At least 45 minor students, including an eight-year-old boy and some girls, have been rescued from a gang, whose leaders allegedly subjected them to hazing.

Jacky Lim, chairwoman of Barangay Tumaga, said she overheard some of the parents of the minors, saying that their children were recruited to join a fraternity and the initiation rites were conducted near a riverbank last Saturday. 

“I was alarmed…I called the parents of the children and the man who recruited them for a…dialogue,” Lim said.

During the dialogue held at the barangay hall on Monday, Lim said it was found out that a 17-year-old had recruited the students.

Lim said one of the minors still has bruises indicating that he was a victim of hazing.

The leaders of the group reportedly used banana stalks  and wooden paddles to hit the recruits.

“Most of the victims claimed they joined out of curiosity,” Lim said.

Social welfare officer Socorro Rojas offered counseling for the minors and their parents.  

Lim said she ordered village watchmen to be on alert to prevent similar incidents.