EDITORIAL - A bestial tradition

Farmer Lucito Reglos and his wife, a maid in South Korea, toiled to send their only son Marvin to law school in Manila. This week their dreams for their son of a life better than theirs were tragically dashed.

Marvin, 25, died of kidney failure apparently after undergoing violent initiation rites conducted by the Lambda Rho Beta fraternity of the San Beda College of Law. Two of Marvin’s fellow law freshmen are reportedly also confined in a hospital for serious injuries suffered at the hands of the fraternity.

The only lesson that violent fraternity initiation can impart in a law freshman is how to break the law. It can also impart precious lessons on how to get away with murder, literally, as in the case of Ateneo de Manila law student Leonardo Villa, whose killers had all of 21 years to stay out of prison for his death by hazing, after posting a laughable bail of P1,000. When the Supreme Court finally affirmed this week the guilty verdict on Fedelito Dizon, Artemio Villareal , Antonio Mariano Almeda, Junel Anthony Ama, Renato Bantug, Jr. and Vincent Tecson, the accused were given a prison term of four months to four years for reckless imprudence resulting in homicide. It surely helped that many magistrates belong to the fraternity of the accused, Aquila Legis.

With that kind of punishment for young murderers, no one should be surprised that violence continues to be popular among college students. Those who undergo violent initiation, with their tormentors getting away with it, will not want to spare the next generation from the same suffering. The bestial tradition is sure to continue. Unfortunately for Lucito Reglos, his son will not be the last victim of Neanderthal youths.