Volume XC, No. 8 • April 5, 2018 THE OFFICIAL STUDENT PUBLICATION OF THE UNIVERSIT Y OF SANTO TOMAS Manila, Philippines
CSC presidential bets favor divorce
GOOD FRIDAY. ANGELES, PAMPANGA—Three penitents reenact the passion and death of Christ on Good Friday, March 30. MICHAEL ANGELO M. REYES
PRESIDENTIAL candidates in the upcoming Central Student Council (CSC) Executive Board elections backed proposals to allow divorce in the country during their mandatory debate on April 3. Francis Gabriel Santos and Karizza Kamille Cruz said divorce was an alternative to annulment, and would be a quicker process to end abusive relationships. “[M]arami tayong data na magpapakita na maraming babae o maraming couple na nagkakaroon ng unhealthy relationships to the point na nawawala na ‘yong sanctity of marriage. Para sa akin mahalagang protektahan ang pamilya, pero ano pang poprotektahan natin kung wala naman na talagang nagwowork? So para sa akin, I’m for divorce,” Santos said. He said however, that the decision of lawmakers on the divorce bill won’t affect UST. “Naniniwala ako na kung ano mang mangyari o ano mang gawin ng gobyerno ng Pilipinas, naniniwala ako na walang magiging epekto ‘yun pagdating dito sa [ating] University,” he added.
Like Santos, Cruz said divorce would be a cheaper and faster process compared with annulment. “Sa mga kababaihan na inaabuso… kagaya ng aking tita, gustong-gusto na niyang makawala sa kasal nila ng aking tito pero hindi niya ‘yun magawa dahil mahal ang annulment. Pero dito po sa diborsyo, magiging mabilis na po na makawala siya sa kasal na ‘to,” she said. In a roundtable discussion with the Varsitarian, Cruz and Santos claimed that their support for divorce is a personal belief which does not reflect the stance of the council and the University as a Catholic institution. “I highly respect the [Church and their teachings] and I believe na meron naman grounds ang kanilang paniniwala. It’s just that in a democratic country such as the Philippines, we need to have mutual respect on whatever it is a person believes notwithstanding your own belief,” Santos said. Divorce PAGE 5
Enact laws to strengthen
Christ’s empty tomb a ‘search for truth marriages instead of divorce, and love,’ UST Rector says on Easter lawmakers urged UST RECTOR Fr. Herminio Dagohoy, OP said Jesus Christ’s empty tomb is a reminder that doubt is the beginning of the search for truth and love, in his message during the Easter Vigil last April 1 at the Santisimo Rosario Parish. In his homily, Dagohoy said doubt and perplexity were the immediate reaction of those who first discovered the resurrection. “Let the empty tomb of Jesus remind you that doubt was the first reaction of the people on the resurrection. It was not an obedient joy. [K]apag tayo ay nagdududa at nagtatanong, it would be the beginning of the search for truth and for love. The empty tomb reminds us that love includes doubt,” he said.
He said people who are “certain of everything” or never question are lifeless. “Bahagi ng pagiging buhay ang pagtatanong at pagdududa. Those people who are so certain of everything, who have answers to unconceivable questions, those who don’t doubt, or don’t experience being perplexed, those who do not question, are lifeless,” he said. Dagohoy urged parishioners to have the courage to “roll the stone of death” and give life to others as Christ did in His resurrection. “As a Church and as a people, we should have the courage and strength to roll the stone of death. [B]ecause of Easter, God has given us life. Ang mga binigyan ng buhay ay dapat nagbibigay
din ng buhay,” he said. During the Easter Vigil, which ended the Holy Week Triduum, the Paschal Candle was lit from new fire, signifying Christ as the light of the world and his triumph over darkness. The faithful also renewed their baptismal promises. Fr. Louie Coronel, OP, pastor of the Santisimo Rosario Parish, said Easter invites the Christian community to welcome God’s sacrifice and victory over death, even if non-believers find such ideas foolish. “Sa mata ng mundo, ‘yun ay kahangalan. Pero sa mata ng mananampalataya, ‘yun ang pag-ibig ng Diyos,” Coronel said. Easter PAGE 8
THE ARCHDIOCESE of Manila’s Commission on Family and Life urged lawmakers on March 6 to enact laws that will promote healthy marriages instead of legalizing divorce and allowing the dissolution of validly contracted marriages. In a statement, the commission said lawmakers should craft laws that would “adequately prepare men and women who wish to enter the covenant of marriage, help promote and keep healthy marriages, and support couples struggling.” “Couples who overcome trials in marriage together grow in virtue and happiness. That is why decent peoples of the world accompany couples and families toward reconciliation and healing. And our holy Mother, the Church, will
always and everywhere be there to help,” the statement read. Noting that the 1987 Philippine Constitution is the first pro-family constitution in the world, the commission cited Article 15 Section 2 of the charter, which recognizes marriage as an inviolable social institution and the foundation of the family that shall be protected by the State. The commission said lawmakers should focus their efforts toward ensuring that the sanctity of marriage and family is protected instead of “weakening and undermining” these institutions with a divorce law. Strengthen PAGE 5
Aegis Juris fratmen in Atio hazing case surrender to NBI MEMBERS of the Aegis Juris Fraternity charged in the hazing death of UST law freshman Horacio “Atio” Castillo III voluntarily surrendered to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on March 23, a day after a court ordered their arrest. NBI Director Dante Gierran said the fratmen turned themselves in and were admitted to NBI custody at 11 a.m. “Their parents are here, together with the [legal] counsels. [T]his is a prearranged surrender to the NBI. We will inform the court of their surrender and will wait for the commitment order from the court,” Gierran said in a press conference. The fratmen will be temporarily detained at the NBI until a commitment order from the court is released, indicating the place where they will be detained. The Manila Regional Trial Court
ordered the arrest of Mhin Wei Chan, Jose Miguel Salamat, John Robin Ramos, Marcelino Bagtang Jr., Arvin Balag, Ralph Trangia, Axel Munro Hipe, Oliver Onofre, Joshua Macabali and Hans Matthew Rodrigo, who were all formally charged with violating the Anti-Hazing Law last March 8. Carmina Castillo, mother of Atio, said the release of warrants of arrest by the Manila court affirmed the fratmen’s involvement in the hazing of the 22-yearold Atio last September of 2017. “The issuance of warrants of arrest in violation of the Anti-Hazing Law of 1995 (also the year Atio was born) only proves that Aegis Juris practices hazing and that my son died in the hands of people who supposedly know the law are going against the law,” Castillo told the Varsitarian in an interview. “The Aegis Juris fraternity practice a culture or violence. For me, the
Aegis Juris fraternity is a disgrace to our country, they should be defenders of justice and not be a part of a big coverup and abusers of human rights,” she added. Civil Law Student Council President Jonathan Santos said the pace of Atio’s case was “surprisingly fast.” “We are looking forward to the best outcome of the trials for Horacio. Let us just wait for further developments. What we see now is just the beginning of the many legal battles. We might be surprised with their defenses,” Santos said. John Paul Solano, a licensed medical technologist who brought Atio to the Chinese General Hospital after the hazing rites of the Aegis Juris Fraternity in September, was charged with perjury and obstruction of justice. JULIA CLAIRE Aegis Juris Fraternity members. From left: John Paul Solano, Ralph Trangia,
L. MEDINA and SAMANTHA-WEE LIPANA Arvin Balag, Aeron Salientes, Zimon Padro and Jose Miguel Salamat. JOELLE ALISON MAE P. EUSEBIO