MANGALDAN, Pangasinan , Philippines – Police rescued 44 high school students who were brought to a beach house for a fraternity’s initiation rites, including a blood compact, in San Fabian town on Wednesday afternoon.
Superintendent Policarpio Cayabyab, Mangaldan police chief, told The STAR that the students, mostly sophomores and juniors at Mangaldan National High School, were transported to the beach house on board three jeepneys.
Citing information from one of the recruits, Cayabyab said leaders of the fraternity named Al Dha Bhezt would ask the students to drink wine, take part in a blood compact, and put a ring in their tongue to seal their membership in the group.
The recruits, according to the informant, have been forced by the frat leaders to give P2 each daily for a month now.
Police filed a case for violation of Republic Act 7610 or exploitation of minors before the provincial prosecutor’s office in Dagupan City against frat leaders Mark Leo Casil, 21; Demy Sabalboro, 22; and Roland Suarez, 18.
Two other frat leaders, both minors, were turned over to the Department of Social Welfare and Development for custody.
One of the frat leaders reportedly had been involved in gang wars, Cayabyab said.
More than 10 of the recruits escaped when police officers arrived at the beach house.
Aside from their intensified campaign against fraternities in schools, Cayabyab said police are also regularly checking computer shops to implement a local ordinance banning students from these establishments during class hours.