The chancellor of the University of the Philippines-Diliman has called on the public to “stop posting and forwarding social media messages” about the hazing incident inside the Diliman campus, coming on the heels of a hazing death in the Philippine Military Academy that forced the resignation of two generals.
READ: 2 PMA generals quit over hazing
In a statement, Chancellor Michael Tan said a member of the UP Sigma Rho Fraternity died, but declined to divulge the victim’s identity and specify the cause of death.
“I appeal to all students, faculty, and staff, as well as other concerned parties in and out of UP Diliman, to stop posting and forwarding social media messages related to the death of one of the Sigma Rho Fraternity members implicated in last week’s online exposé of the fraternity’s hazing,” he said.
“Let us do this out of sense of decency and respect for the privacy of the family,” he added. “Sensationalism is itself a form of violent assault and is not the solution to the fraternity culture of violence,” he said.
Supposed conversations among fraternity members leaked online a week ago.
The screenshots showed a group of persons preparing for what seemed to be a hazing ritual, along with some photos.
Tan said the school management was now investigating the incident.
At the PMA, another suspect in the hazing death of Cadet 4th class Darwin Dormitorio has surfaced, according to Baguio City chief of police Allen Rae Co, who added that police were preparing charges against the newly identified suspect for violation of the Anti-Hazing Law, and murder.
READ: Two more PMA cadets tagged in hazing death, names withheld
The seventh suspect was not involved in the hazing of Dormitorio on Sept. 17, but in previous incidents, police said.
Dormitorio was confined at the PMA Station Hospital from Aug. 20 to 27 after complaining of stomach and chest pains.
Dormitorio was laid to rest in his hometown of Cagayan de Oro City on Sept. 25.
The Anti-Hazing Law of 2018 prohibits all forms of hazing and metes out stiff penalties including life imprisonment against the perpetrator in case of the victim’s death.
Party-list Rep. Alfredo Garbin, author of the Anti-Hazing Law, said the stiff penalty will act as a deterrent since it will be certain that the perpetrator gets prosecuted and penalized according to the offense.
