I write this in my capacity as the incumbent president of the Ateneo Alumni Australia and as publisher and editor of the Philippine Tribune and Philippine Sentinel, to call attention to an ongoing hazing happening under the very nose of the Ateneo law school. May I also call the attention of Fr. Jose Ramon Villarin, SJ, the president of Ateneo de Manila University to this concern.
We learned about the hazing from very reliable sources whose son is a neophyte. He arrived home black and blue from bruises sustained during initiation rites currently being conducted by the infamous Aquila Legis fraternity. He was crying, limping and couldn’t walk properly. It was further reported that the hazing will last for at least another week.
Unless immediate action is taken, a repeat of the Lenny Villa case, which happened some 20 years ago, is not farfetched. This should not be allowed to happen. It is appalling to know that Ateneo appears to tolerate the presence of lawless brutes who seem to enjoy inflicting pain and bodily harm on helpless neophytes in the guise of initiation. I call the perpetrators cowards who should immediately be expelled from an institution that is supposedly the bastion of the Philippine legal system.
I happen to be a proud golden jubilarian and I plan to attend our homecoming in December this year. I am also a member of the Order of Blue Eagles (OBE).
Depending on the response of school authorities, I might still change my mind about joining the celebrations and/or withdrawing my membership from the OBE.
Incidentally, this letter is being written without the knowledge and against the wishes of the victim whose identity I cannot disclose at this time. It is being circulated around the world through various Ateneo alumni e-mail groups of which I am a member.
I look forward to the Ateneo authorities’ immediate action on this matter.
—DINO CRESCINI,
GS ’57, HS ’62, Coll ’66,
www.ateneoalumniaustralia.org