THE PARADOX

OF
BROTHERHOOD
AND
SISTERHOOD
ARQUERO.BALUYUT.BULURAN.
DEMMEL.GUZMAN
INTRODUCTION
FRATERNITY AND
SORORITY

Fraternity is a group of people associated or formally organized for a common purpose,

interest or pleasure, or the quality or state of being brothers; while, sorority is a club
of women formed for social purposes .
 In the Philippines, fraternities or sororities have always been labelled and branded to
violence. Moreover, some studies or critics say that fraternities breed elitism, nepotism
and other undesirable traits .
In order for an interested individual to join a fraternity or sorority. One must undergo a
special initiation called HAZING.
CONTROVERSIAL
HAZING CASES
AND OTHER FRAT-
RELATED CASES
GONZALO MARIANO ALBERT
FIRST EVER RECORDED HAZING-RELATED DEATH IN 1954
UPSILON SIGMA PHI UP DILIMAN

AT LEAST 36
RECORDED
INCIDENTS SINCE 1954
UP TO PRESENT
RAUL CAMALIGAN
HIS FATHER, ATTY. GILBERT, ALSO JOINED A
FRATERNITY
ENTERED SAN BEDA COLLEGE OF LAW IN 1991
JOINED LEX TALIONIS FRATERNITAS
DIED ON SEPTEMBER 8, 1991 DUE TO
PHYSICAL INJURIES DURING INITIATION RITES
FIRST-EVER RECORDED CASUALTY IN SAN
BEDA COL SINCE ITS INSTITUTION IN 1948
EIGHT FRAT MEMBERS INCLUDING AL
ARGOSINO AND ARTHUR CUEVAS WERE
CHARGED WITH HOMICIDE
PLEADED GUILTY TO LESSER OFFENSE OF
RECKLESS IMPRUDENCE RESULTING IN
HOMICIDE
TRIAL COURT CONVICTED THE FRAT
MEMBERS ON THE BASIS OF THEIR PLEAS,
WERE GRANTED PROBATION
THE COURT ALLOWED ARGOSINO AND
CUEVAS TO TAKE THE BAR, BUT ONLY
TOOK OATH UPON PRESENTING EVIDENCE
ATTESTING TO THEIR MORAL FIBER
LENNY VILLA
ATENEAN FRESHMAN LAW STUDENT
JOINED AQUILA LEGIS JURIS FRATERNITY
DIED ON FEBRUARY 9, 1991 ON THE SECOND
DAY OF INITIATION RITES DUE TO SEVERE
PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL BEATINGS
HIS DEATH EVENTUALLY LED TO THE PASSAGE
OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8049, OR THE ANTI-
HAZING LAW
IN 2012, THE SC FOUND 5 MEMBERS OF THE
FRATERNITY GUILTY OF RECKLESS
IMPRUDENCE RESULTING IN HOMICIDE
HAZING IS PART OF TRADITIONAL RITES,
HENCE, INTENT TO KILL CANNOT BE IMPUTED
TO THE FRAT MEMBERS
HORACIO CASTILLO
III
ENTERED UST FACULTY OF CIVIL LAW IN 2017
DIED DURING THE AEGIS JURIS FRATERNITY
INITIATION RITES ON SEPTEMBER 16-17, 2017
BRIEF TIMELINE
SEPTEMBER 17 ATIO WAS ALLEGEDLY FOUND
LYING ON A PAVEMENT IN TONDO
SEPTEMBER 18 DEAN DIVINA BANNED FRAT
MEMBERS FROM ENTERING UST
SEPTEMBER 25 CHARGES OF PERJURY,
MURDER, ROBBERY, OBSTRUCTION OF
JUSTICE, AND VIOLATION OF REPUBLIC ACT
8049 AGAINST SOLANO
OCTOBER 18 ATTEMPTS BY FRAT MEMBERS
TO "CONCEAL DETAILS WERE REVEALED
BASED ON FB SCREEN GRABS
OCTOBER 22 SOLANO STATED THAT ATIO
DIED DUE TO A PRE-EXISTING HEART ILLNESS
OCTOBER 25 FRAT MEMBER MARC VENTURA
BECAME STATE WITNESS
REPUBLIC ACT 8049
ANTI-HAZING LAW
WHY DO FRATERNITIES AND
SORORITIES STILL EXIST?
 The schools allow organizations to be formed as they cannot
interfere with the right to association or organization of a
person, guaranteed under the 1987 Constitution of the
Philippines, Art. III, Sec. 8 The right of the people, including
those employed in the public and private sectors, to form unions,
associations, or societies for purposes not contrary to law shall
not be abridged
 As a student, the benefits of being a member of a fraternity or
sorority, more often than not, are promised by the members of
such organization, as shared by a Lawyer that we had the chance
to interview. Usually, first year law students are still deficient of
knowledge and strong character to get through to law school.
Hard work alone sometimes proved to be futile in order to pass.
 The benefits of joining a fraternity or sorority, does not stop
even after graduation. There is a promise of being hired in a good
law firm, help and protection when they finally become a lawyer.
According to Ryan P. Oliva, a writer of Esquire and a member of UP Alpha Phi Beta,

"Fraternities offer not just personal connections but a feeling of being

connected to a higher sense of purpose. Senior brods would mentor the
younger ones about their fraternitys traditions and values, both the
mundane and the sublime. It was like having a backstage access to a rock
stars concert when I, just a law student, was able to talk with then
incumbent Chief Justice Puno and ask him for tips on how to succeed in
law school and how to find ones niche in the legal profession. He
hastened to add that my efforts would be useless if not done for the good
of the country."
 "This higher sense of purpose drives fraternities and
their members to take up leadership posts in
organizations, take part in campus politics, engage in
philanthropy, uphold the standards of their respective
professions, among others. It would be nave, however,
to believe that everything is pure and sublime. Every
fraternity could be anything its members would want it
to be, for better or for worse."
SUMMARY OF THE SUPREME
COURT DECISIONS WITH
REGARD TO HAZING AND
OATH-TAKING
IN THE MATTER OF THE
ADMISSION TO THE BAR AND
OATH-TAKING OF SUCCESSFUL
BAR APPLICANT AL C.
ARGOSINO (BM NO. 712, JULY
13, 1995)
MR. ARGOSINO MUST, THEREFORE, SUBMIT TO THIS COURT, FOR ITS EXAMINATION AND
CONSIDERATION, EVIDENCE THAT HE MAY BE NOW REGARDED AS COMPLYING WITH THE
REQUIREMENT OF GOOD MORAL CHARACTER IMPOSED UPON THOSE SEEKING ADMISSION
TO THE BAR. HIS EVIDENCE MAY CONSIST, INTER ALIA, OF SWORN CERTIFICATIONS FROM
RESPONSIBLE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY WHO HAVE A GOOD REPUTATION FOR
TRUTH AND WHO HAVE ACTUALLY KNOWN MR. ARGOSINO FOR A SIGNIFICANT PERIOD OF
TIME, PARTICULARLY SINCE THE JUDGMENT OF CONVICTION WAS RENDERED BY JUDGE
SANTIAGO. HE SHOULD SHOW TO THE COURT HOW HE HAS TRIED TO MAKE UP FOR THE
SENSELESS KILLING OF A HELPLESS STUDENT TO THE FAMILY OF THE DECEASED STUDENT
AND TO THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE. MR. ARGOSINO MUST, IN OTHER WORDS, SUBMIT
RELEVANT EVIDENCE TO SHOW THAT HE IS A DIFFERENT PERSON NOW, THAT HE HAS
BECOME MORALLY FIT FOR ADMISSION TO THE ANCIENT AND LEARNED PROFESSION OF
THE LAW.

FINALLY, MR. ARGOSINO IS HEREBY DIRECTED TO INFORM THIS COURT, BY APPROPRIATE

WRITTEN MANIFESTATION, OF THE NAMES AND ADDRESSES OF THE FATHER AND MOTHER
(IN DEFAULT THEREOF, BROTHERS AND SISTERS, IF ANY, OF RAUL CAMALIGAN), WITHIN
TEN (10) DAY FROM NOTICE HEREOF. LET A COPY OF THIS RESOLUTION BE FURNISHED TO
THE PARENTS OR BROTHERS AND SISTERS, IF ANY, OF RAUL CAMALIGAN.
IN RE: PETITION TO TAKE THE
LAWYERS OATH BY ARTHUR
M. CUEVAS, JR. (BM NO. 810,
JANUARY, 1998)
PETITIONER ARTHUR M. CUEVAS, JR.S DISCHARGE FROM PROBATION WITHOUT ANY
INFRACTION OF THE ATTENDANT CONDITIONS THEREFOR AND THE VARIOUS
CERTIFICATIONS ATTESTING TO HIS RIGHTEOUS, PEACEFUL AND CIVIC-ORIENTED
CHARACTER PROVE THAT HE HAS TAKEN DECISIVE STEPS TO PURGE HIMSELF OF HIS
DEFICIENCY IN MORAL CHARACTER AND ATONE FOR THE UNFORTUNATE DEATH OF
RAUL I. CAMALIGAN. THE COURT IS PREPARED TO GIVE HIM THE BENEFIT OF THE
DOUBT, TAKING JUDICIAL NOTICE OF THE GENERAL TENDENCY OF THE YOUTH TO BE
RASH, TEMERARIOUS AND UNCALCULATING. LET IT BE STRESSED TO HEREIN
PETITIONER THAT THE LAWYERS OATH IS NOT A MERE FORMALITY RECITED FOR A FEW
MINUTES IN THE GLARE OF FLASHING CAMERAS AND BEFORE THE PRESENCE OF SELECT
WITNESSES. PETITIONER IS EXHORTED TO CONDUCT HIMSELF BEYOND REPROACH AT
ALL TIMES AND TO LIVE STRICTLY ACCORDING TO HIS OATH AND THE CODE OF
PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY. AND, TO PARAPHRASE MR. JUSTICE PADILLAS
COMMENT IN THE SISTER CASE OF RE: PETITION OF AL ARGOSINO TO TAKE THE
LAWYERS OATH, BAR MATTER NO. 712, MARCH 19, 1997, THE COURT SINCERELY HOPES
THAT MR. CUEVAS, JR., WILL CONTINUE WITH THE ASSISTANCE HE HAS BEEN GIVING TO
HIS COMMUNITY. AS A LAWYER HE WILL NOW BE IN A BETTER POSITION TO RENDER
LEGAL AND OTHER SERVICES TO THE MORE UNFORTUNATE MEMBERS OF SOCIETY.
CONCLUSION