MANILA, (PIA) — Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri issued a strong condemnation on October 1, 2024, following the tragic death of 18-year-old Ren Joseph Bayan, a Grade 11 student from Nueva Ecija, who fell victim to hazing. Zubiri described the incident as another senseless loss of life due to this brutal practice.
“This heartbreaking case underscores the urgent need to end the barbarity of hazing,” Zubiri said. His remarks come as the family of Atio Castillo, another victim of hazing, continues to seek justice under the Anti-Hazing Act of 2018.
“As a parent, it is devastating to lose a child to such senseless violence. How many more families must grieve because of this cursed tradition?” Zubiri added.
He called for accountability from fraternities and organizations that permit or encourage hazing, asserting that there is no place for such practices in society. “Hazing is a crime, plain and simple. Those involved must face the full force of the law,” the senator declared.
Zubiri, who is an author and sponsor of the Anti-Hazing Act, emphasized that the law was strengthened in response to Castillo’s death, which is expected to be adjudicated soon.
“We can no longer tolerate these fraternities that disguise their violence as brotherhood,” he said. “We need to put these suspects behind bars and show these groups that their days of violence are over.”
He urged authorities to act swiftly in identifying and prosecuting those responsible for Bayan’s death.
“There is no excuse for this kind of barbarism, and those who participate in these deadly rites must be brought to justice immediately,” Zubiri asserted.
Despite existing legal safeguards, Zubiri expressed frustration over the continued loss of young lives to hazing.
“It is infuriating that we still lose young lives to hazing despite the legal protections in place,” he remarked.
He extended his deepest sympathies to Bayan’s family, expressing empathy for the pain they are enduring. “I cannot imagine the suffering you are going through right now,” he said.
Zubiri concluded by calling for a collective awakening among fraternities and similar organizations, promising that efforts to achieve justice and eradicate such violence will not cease.
“We will not stop until we secure justice and eliminate these forms of violence,” he vowed. (JCO/PIA-NCR)
