Sen. Francis Tolentino on Tuesday said school officials should be more proactive in monitoring the activities of fraternities, sororities and other “non-recognized” organizations following the death of Adamson University student John Matthew Salilig due to hazing.
Tolentino made the remarks after spearheading the hearing of the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights into the death of Salilig, who died after undergoing the brutal “welcoming rites” of the Tau Gamma Phi Fraternity in Binan, Laguna province, on February 18.
He pointed out that frats and organizations have been able to thrive, recruit members and conduct campus activities despite being banned in schools and universities.
“We heard the president of Adamson University saying that fraternities are banned in their university. However, also through Facebook, we see how the Triskelion-Adamson Chapter freely conducts the activities of their organization within school premises,” Tolentino said at the hearing.
“The line is murky in so far as school-based and organization-based or community-based. But the venue is still in far-flung barangays, yung walang nakakarinig, walang nakakakita,” he said.
The Senate inquiry, he said, wanted to determine the possible liabilities of school administrators under the law consistent with the “in loco parentis” legal doctrine, which makes education officials as “second parents” of the students.
“Is it not the responsibility of educational institutions under (the law) to exercise reasonable supervision in loco parentis over the conduct of their students?” Tolentino said.
“They could have monitored the activities of non-recognized organizations. Tungkulin nila iyon eh. Makikita naman iyan,” he added.
