A leader of the Tau Gamma Phi fraternity was arrested as he was about to put five neophytes through initiation rites on Wednesday in barangay Sambag 2, Cebu City.
Edmund Igot was also caught with a .45 cal. pistol, operatives of the City Intelligence Branch (CIB) of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) said.
Three more guns, a 9mm pistol, a .22 revolver and a .38 revolver, and a wooden paddle were seized in the house where the supposed initiation rites were to be conducted, said Chief Insp. Romeo Santander, chief of the CIB.
The arrest was made after a concerned citizen tipped off the police.
“Baka isipin ng mga members ng fraternity, hindi namin sila namo-monitor. They are wrong (Fraternity members may be thinking that the police are not monitoring them),” said Senior Supt. Noli Romana, director of CCPO.
The operation came on the heels of a fatal hazing of a college student in Manila by members of the Tau Gamma Phi fraternity.
Since the arrest was made before the initiation rites were held, Santander clarified that Igot was arrested for illegal possession of firearm.
Police are still assessing if he violated the Anti-Hazing Law.
Republic Act (RA) 8049 or the Anti-Hazing law prohibits any form of physical violence on neophytes.
The law prohibits “an initiation rite or practice as a prerequisite for admission into membership in a fraternity, sorority or organization by placing the recruit, neophyte or applicant in some embarrassing or humiliating situations such as forcing him to do menial, silly, foolish and other similar tasks or activities or otherwise subjecting him to physical or psychological suffering or injury.”
Violators face imprisonment of more than 17 years if victims become insane, impotent or blind as a result of hazing.
Santander said investigation will also be made to identify the owner of the house in sitio Maharlika where initiation rites usually took place.
Santander said the five neophytes were senior high school and freshmen college students.
Santander said police would subject the seized firearms to a ballistics test to check if the guns have been fired or were used in using shooting incidents.
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