15 Hulio 2024, Lunes

Register now and vote in midterm polls

Aspirants file your certificate of candidacy on October 1-8,2024

Substitute candidates must be with same surname and political party

Partylist must file Certificate of Nomination and Acceptance

No to Divorce!!!

Get well soon Nanay Angelita Santiago-Lopez

No to SOGIE bill

Best wishes Mr. and Mrs. Seth Elyon San Pedro

happy 10th Anniversary Binang City, Laguna Chapter Servants of God in Christ Jesus Christian Ministries Inc., Dr. Enrico San Pedro, Pastor 

PM for any hospital discharge problem

CHR probes death of cadet  ‘thumbs up’ to group chat

By J.Lo

“Commission has zero tolerance for such actions…such practices not only jeopardize  physical well-being of  student but also violate their dignity and rights,” Commission on Human Rights (CHR) Chairman Richard Palpal-latoc said in  statement CHR has launched  investigation into  death of  maritime academy cadet who was reportedly forced to perform physical exercises as punishment.

Second-year merchant marine cadet Vince Andrew Delos Reyes, 19, died in hospital after  upperclassman, identified only as “Nathaniel,” ordered him to do  strenuous exercises on July 8,  initial investigation by Calamba City police found.  Alleged  punishment was for  thumbs-up Delos Reyes accidentally sent to  group chat of  corps of cadets.

Delos Reyes was reportedly asked to perform 100 repetitions of squat thrusts, followed by 100 repetitions of pumping.  Student  collapsed while carrying out  star jump exercise,. Cadet    was rushed to  hospital but declared dead on arrival.

Calamba-based NYK-TDG Maritime Academy, where Delos Reyes was  cadet, has yet to release  statement about  incident. Officials of  training school reported  incident to  police the following day, July 9.

CHR’s regional office in Region IV has opened  motu proprio investigation, or  probe launched of its own accord, into  incident,  commission said.

Human  rights body  denounces any form of violence against students and described  incident as  “blatant violation of  student’s fundamental right to life and safety.”

“Severe physical punishments have no place in any educational institution,”  CHR chairperson said.

Upperclassman  involved in the incident has been placed under  custody of the Calamba City Police Station and is facing charges of reckless imprudence resulting in homicide.

Commission on Higher Education (CHED) last year acknowledged  its “hands are tied” when it comes to enforcing blanket ban on hazing in all higher education institutions as it does not have  “quasi-judicial powers” needed to impose sanctions on schools with fraternities, CHED Director Frederick Farolan said.

Noting that schools have right to exercise their academic freedom, Farolan said during  March 7 Senate committee hearing  best the commission can do is monitor cases.

Anti-Hazing Act was revised in 2018 to outright ban hazing and impose stiffer penalties on persons involved in carrying out violent initiation rites. The 1995 version of  law was amended after  death of University of Santo Tomas law freshman Horacio Castillo III from  hazing rites of fraternity Aegis Juris.

But despite amended Anti-Hazing Act,  police still recorded “14 or 18” alleged violations of law since 2018, many of which were dismissed, according to Police Brig. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez during  hearing.