Finally, a conviction
History was made last week. The Supreme Court upheld the very first conviction under the Anti-Hazing Law. The ruling by the Calamba Regional Trial Court against Dandy L. Dungo and Gregorio A. Sibal Jr., both members of the Alpha Phi Omega fraternity, for the death of Marlon Villanueva was upheld by the high court. Villanueva was a student of UP Los Baños at the time of his death in 2006. In 2011, the trial court found the two APO members guilty of the Anti-Hazing Law, which carries a sentence of reclusion perpetua or life imprisonment. Section 4 of the said law lays the ground for the punishment in the event of the death or even physical injury.
The case was then appealed in 2013, but the CA likewise affirmed the trial court's ruling. The case was then elevated to the Supreme Court, where their efforts to escape punishment ended. "The fraternal contract should not be signed in blood, celebrated with pain, marred by injuries, and perpetrated through suffering." It could not have been said more eloquently. These two can now enjoy the camaraderie of their new criminal brothers, for life.
This is definitely a victory for the family of the victim. The only sad thing is they had to wait nine years for it, and many of the likewise guilty, some twenty members or so, have not been arrested nor tried. I really hope they are found, arrested and likewise sentenced along with their now criminal "brods."
There are still so many cases of hazing where the neophyte died in the hands of his so-called brothers. With this ruling of the highest court of the land, it is hoped that cases will now speed up, as a precedent has been set. So many families would want the same justice now received by the Villanueva family. Hazing cases are notoriously slow, brought about in no small part by crafty lawyers who are themselves members of the fraternity involved. This attitude has made members arrogantly believe that their alumni brothers, who are more often famous and successful lawyers, can get them out of trouble. I laud the decision of the Supreme Court.
Whether this decision will deter further violent fraternity hazing in the country remains to be seen. There are still those who just cannot accept that future neophytes will not go through what they did. This is in fact the crux of hazing. Those who went through it feel they have the "moral ascendancy" to dish it out to someone else, which then perpetuates the cycle of violence, that leads to the untimely, totally senseless killing of those seeking the shallow approval of others. Let us hope that with the Supreme Court's ruling, the cycle of violence stops.
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