The Police Regional Office (PRO) 11 identified the slain fourth year criminology student as August Ceazar P. Saplot, a pledgee of the Alpha Kappa Rho Fraternity, Alpha Delta Chapter. The identity of the other student who was critically injured has yet to be released by the authorities.
Based on initial investigations conducted by the Davao City Police Office, the victim’s body was found at Purok Santo Nino, Sison Village, Upper Mandug, Buhangin District this city where the incident allegedly took place on September 18.
Due to the quick action of the police, eight alleged suspects involved in the initiation rites were arrested Monday afternoon. The suspects are students of College of Criminal Justice Education of UM.
Police are still searching for the other 6 students participating in the hazing activities that resulted in the death of Saplot.
Meanwhile, the management of UM strongly condemns the senseless and deplorable incident in the highest possible consternation and dismay, as the university is also offering its unqualified grief to the victims’ families.
“It has come to our attention that 4th year students from the College of Criminal Justice Education of the University of Mindanao (UM) were involved in a violent hazing incident on September 18, 2022, resulting in the unfortunate death of one and serious injury to another who were both neophyte victims. The illegal hazing incident was perpetuated by these students who are all members of the AKRHO Alpha Delta Chapter fraternity,” UM said in its statement Monday.
The school has already banned all fraternities from the university since the enactment of the Republic Act 8049, or the Anti-Hazing Law.
They said, UM is sternly intolerant of fraternities and hazing which only foster the culture of violence, which is an anathema to the core values and conducive learning environment that the university upholds since 1946.
The university emphasized that AKRHO Alpha Delta fraternity has not been recognized as an organization in the campus, including all their illegal activities and roster of membership.
“The hazing incident also happened outside of the campus premises of the university; it was deliberately and inconspicuously held in the far-flung barangay of Upper Mandug, Buhangin, Davao City,” the statement further said.
However, since they are students at the university, they bring disrepute to the name of the institution. The perpetrators disrespected the president’s strict instructions against hazing inside or outside the university.
The university expresses its deepest condolences to the family of the victims and promise to extend whatever means of assistance during this time of bereavement.
The university also supports fully the investigation of the law enforcement agencies and upholds whatever legal liabilities imposed upon the perpetrators.
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