Abolition of Fraternities and Sororities.

[LytSlpr]

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Senator to push for abolition of fraternities, sororities.
by Gil C. Cabacungan Jr.
The Inquirer, 09/04/2007

MANILA, Philippines – A resolution was filed at the Senate yesterday calling for an investigation into the death of University of the Philippines student Cris Anthony Mendez, allegedly a victim of hazing.

Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago, who filed Senate Resolution No. 112, said the findings would be used to beef up the Anti-Hazing Law or Republic Act No. 8049 which according to her, has proven to be useless in preventing hazing deaths.

She also said that she would push for the abolition of all fraternities and sororities.

Santiago was joined by Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile, a member of the Sigma Rho fraternity at the UP Diliman-based fraternity, which is believed to be involved in Mendez’s death.

“My fraternity is becoming a trainer of thugs and killers. A fraternity is a fraternity of people who embrace the profession of law. We should follow the law instead of violating it,’’ Enrile said.

“I am so furious. I am going to fight for a bill to abolish fraternities and sororities,” Santiago said. She noted that while the UP has instituted measures to discourage hazing, such as the automatic expulsion of a fraternity member involved in any activity that has led to the death or serious injury of a student, these are not enough.

“I am going to ask for the definite abolition of all fraternities and sororities, and I challenge any student leader to debate me on this point. This new law will bind all academic institutions and the proper student regulations will be issued by the president or the dean,” Santiago added.
MANILA, Philippines – A resolution was filed at the Senate yesterday calling for an investigation into the death of University of the Philippines student Cris Anthony Mendez, allegedly a victim of hazing.

Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago, who filed Senate Resolution No. 112, said the findings would be used to beef up the Anti-Hazing Law or Republic Act No. 8049 which according to her, has proven to be useless in preventing hazing deaths.

She also said that she would push for the abolition of all fraternities and sororities.

Santiago was joined by Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile, a member of the Sigma Rho fraternity at the UP Diliman-based fraternity, which is believed to be involved in Mendez’s death.

“My fraternity is becoming a trainer of thugs and killers. A fraternity is a fraternity of people who embrace the profession of law. We should follow the law instead of violating it,’’ Enrile said.

“I am so furious. I am going to fight for a bill to abolish fraternities and sororities,” Santiago said. She noted that while the UP has instituted measures to discourage hazing, such as the automatic expulsion of a fraternity member involved in any activity that has led to the death or serious injury of a student, these are not enough.

“I am going to ask for the definite abolition of all fraternities and sororities, and I challenge any student leader to debate me on this point. This new law will bind all academic institutions and the proper student regulations will be issued by the president or the dean,” Santiago added.


JUST ONE QUESTION MADAME SENATOR, HOW EXACTLY ARE YOU GOING TO EFFECTIVELY IMPLEMENT THIS?! HUH?!

Isn't this a violation of a basic human right?!

[marc francis]

this will subside in a month. believe me it will and enrile is just pakitang tao. he's an alumnus and he knows that what happened is a shame not only to sigma rho but to him as well. this will all subside. hate me now but its true. and wait a minute, cant you see the political agenda behind this? elections are just around the corner and the people are vulnerable at this point. i personally think that santiago is using cris to run once again for president and that she is using frats for her benefit dahil marami nga ang mangmang. think about it? does she really care about cris?

[bisaya70]

I am not sure kung unsay solution aning problemaha, pero lo-oy sad bya kaayo ang parents (and of course...ang namatay) sa mga

nangamatay tungod sa hazing. For whatever the purpose of a fraternity/sorority death should not be a part of it.

[ryan22]

sus pa pogi points rana ang mga senador kay init man kaau ang topic about fraternities karon...

dugay naman ng hazing nga issue daghan na nangamatay karon pa sili mo action?

most of them are part of it & they know hazing be it mental,physical or emotional is part of the tradition of the fraternities & sororities or any 3 letter Greek organization..

[brad]

“My fraternity is becoming a trainer of thugs and killers. A fraternity is a fraternity of people who embrace the profession of law. We should follow the law instead of violating it,’’ Enrile said.

Enrile is gansta.

i dont think, this people are really gonna do something to ban the frat. its up to the lawmakers . well just wait and see whether they are going to do what they are saying.

[diem]

[color=navy]@LytSlpr, if what Senator Miriam Santiago is proposing is a violation of a basic human right~ that is subject to argument.

It is true that the people have the right to form unions, associations, or societies only as long as these are not contrary to law. [Section 8, Article 3: Bill of Rights, 1987 CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES].

But isn't it also a basic human right for individuals, such as the late Cris Anthony Mendez and others like him, not to be deprived of Life and Liberty? [Section 1, Article 3: Bill of Rights, 1987 CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES].

Which basic human right that should be protected more?

The right to assemble?

Or the right to live and the right to NOT have one's will become subordinate to others (and so-called 'noble traditions'), to be forced to subject oneself to torture?

I find the lady senator's proposition of abolishing such societies just a declaration made in the heat of the moment. She is always in heat, it appears. It is far more feasible to ban the recruitment/formation/practice of such societies from the premises of schools, universities and academic institutions.

But if Senator Santiago can convince people that fraternities, not all but most, promote and practice violence as part of their treatise and traditions then there could be a chance~ the world has gotten rid of the Nazi Party and continuously abhor its ideals, why not this?

There will be people here who will argue that this is just another isolated case~ there are far too many isolated cases similar to this that it's now difficult to ignore (and it should not be ignored) by the public, anymore.

Personally, I find no value in joining fraternities, such societies are anachronisms, things of the past~ if there are things that are required to be discontinued and forgotten, this should be one of them.

[Velvett]

so these are the kind of leaders we have, mga pakitang tao. tsk tsk tsk. mao ni nakat-unan sa fraternities eh?

well, lisod naman pakgangon ning fraternities, so what concerned citizens must do is create a new breed of enlightened, pro-life students. no demand = extinction

[chad_tukes]

LOL, just another article.

[zyLe]

I am not sure kung unsay solution aning problemaha, pero lo-oy sad bya kaayo ang parents (and of course...ang namatay) sa mga

nangamatay tungod sa hazing. For whatever the purpose of a fraternity/sorority death should not be a part of it.

ayt!

[borgy1981]

I'm just wondering kinsay makigdebate aning Miriam....hehehe