…when we show a judge that is corrupt,
And will give up his sentence as he favours
The person, not the cause; saving the guilty
If of his faction, and as oft condemning
The innocent out of particular spleen;

…censure us, or free us with applause.

Philip Massinger.The Roman Actor
Act I, Scene 3; l.39ff

Stop frat-related impunity; imbue frat members with sense of dignity and the rule of law

Another death has exposed the adamant existence of hazing as an endemic disease embedded in a fraternity, an otherwise inherently good institution established to nurture a sense of belonging.

The recent death of San Beda College (SBC) law student Marc Andre Marcos, though inundated with tears and grief, will perpetuate impunity if those who witnessed and / or knew of the circumstances of his death, despite professing to uphold the rule of law do nothing to obtain justice for Marc Andre.

If no one is held accountable, because of a twisted sense of loyalty in “saving the guilty if of his faction [or fraternity]”, the act could well replicate itself again if now the student of law and later the judge in court “favours the person, not the cause” in the name of brotherhood. Such a situation will be taken to mean that pain, even intense pain which leads to death, as long as this is inflicted by a member of the fraternity, must be overlooked. Along with patronage, this fraternity law cultures impunity. Consequently yet unthinkably, justice and the rule of law can become subservient to the paddled-lex fraternitatis.

Marcos’ death though can be turned into a kairos, a moment of grace. Thankfully, the moment was seized by Bedan neophytes Ryan Maranan and Ephraim Daniel Lara upon realizing that life is too high a price to pay to belong to the Lex Leonum Fraternitas. They have narrated their hazing ordeal. The SBC administration, faculty and studentry, while campaigning against frat-violence, can also transform the tragic death of Marc Andre Marcos into a fulcrum for a paradigm shift in fraternities thru the studentry– uphold human dignity and the rule of law.

This radical change includes reparation to the victim’s family and protection for those who come forward to tell the truth against any possible retaliatory actions from those held accountable for directly inflicting ill-treatment on and for violating the right to life of Marcos.

The Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates (PAHRA) calls on all human rights defenders among the youth and students to broaden the campaign against violence within fraternities and campuses as well as organizations and communities by promoting human rights as preferred values and as a way of life.

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