Top cop tightens watch on hazing recruitment in Iloilo towns

By Florence Hibionada

Senior Supt. Cornelio Defensor

Alarmed over the spate of hazing recruitment and brazen way minors are lured into the fray, a top official of the Iloilo Provincial Police Office (IPPO) is now bent on strengthening police watch in Iloilo towns.

As such, Senior Supt. Cornelio Defensor, IPPO Deputy Director for Operations will activate the municipal police offices with particular orders to keep watch on fraternity and sorority activities throughout the province.

The move will augment current efforts of the IPPO where weekly checks are being conducted in various schools and surprise visits made that targets deadly weapons brought to school premises. The hazing recruitment is feared to cause students to arm themselves either as protection or guarantee for acceptance.

In a chance interview over the weekend, Senior Supt. Defensor told The News Today that IPPO's planned action will be done in close coordination with school officials. This, as he acknowledged the persistence and existence of the gangs, fraternities and sororities with members both in high school and college. Pressed for details, said IPPO official pointed to Iloilo's Fourth and Fifth district towns as among the school districts with particular police attention needed when it comes to hazing activities.

Latest hazing-related police operation occured last week in Barotac Nuevo where some 42 fraternity members were brought in for custodial investigation. Government agents responding on a tip from a local school official chanced upon the group where paddles were reportedly used on the twelve neophytes present.

School administration authorities in the area have since called for police intervention especially in cases where large group of students would leave school premises and missed out on the day's classes purposely to submit themselves to initiation.

"We will look into this but we need the cooperation of the school heads and officials in order for us to work effectively," Defensor ended.

Hazing activities are said to be at its peak in this month until October with rival groups bent on recruiting as much members as they could, minors included. It was not immediately know what happened to the 42 youngsters in Barotac Nuevo thought TNT

learned from sources that arrangements were made with the police not to press the charges.