MANILA, Philippines – A criminology student, suspected of being hazed, has died, the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) said on Tuesday, October 17.

The victim, who died on Monday evening, was identified as Ahldryn Bravante, a 25-year-old criminology student of the Philippine College of Criminology in Manila.

Bravante was a resident of Imus, Cavite. He was subjected to hazing in a house in Quezon City. At least four suspects, allegedly members of the Tau Gamma Phi fraternity, have been arrested, QCPD officials told reporters on Tuesday afternoon.

Quezon City police were alerted on Monday evening about Bravante’s alleged hazing, who was then still in critical condition, by the Chinese General Hospital, according to a QCPD press release.

Photographs of the victim’s corpse reveal that he sustained bruises and cigarette burns on his body.

Bravante’s father, Alex, said in an interview with radio station DWPM on Tuesday morning, that he had been unaware of his son’s fraternity involvement.

“Last night, we were shocked when someone called us about what happened,” Bravante said in Filipino.

Alex said that his son, who left behind a six-year-old child, worked as a part-time family driver and made deliveries for Lalamove to help make ends meet.

Ahldryn’s mother, an overseas Filipino worker in Oman, recently returned to the Philippines in September, following the death of the victim’s older brother in a motorcycle accident, Alex said.

This latest case follows an incident in February, in which John Matthew Salilig, a student at Adamson University, was killed during initiation rites in Cavite.

A joint Senate panel had proposed amending Republic Act 11053, also known as the Anti-Hazing Law of 2018, earlier this year.

The proposed amendments include imposing substantial fines of up to P20 million on organizations found liable for hazing. Another proposal seeks to hold schools more accountable for hazing, and to mandate orientation sessions for parents or guardians of college students. – with a report from Jire Carreon/Rappler.com

PANOORIN: Ano ba ang parusa sa hazing?