Fraternities cannot simply be outlawed as they are part of an individual’s right to association, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said Tuesday, following the death of a University of Santo Tomas (UST) student due to hazing.

“Dapat makita rin natin na itong (We should also see that a) fraternity is part and parcel of our constitutional right to form association,” Aguirre said in an interview at the Senate.

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“Kaya dapat pagtimbang-timbangin mo ‘yan: ‘yung right to form association at saka ‘yung to avoid violence against the students,” he added.

(We have to weigh them, the right to form association and ways to avoid violence against students.)

Aguirre said the Anti-Hazing law was strong enough to curb killings due to hazing.

READ: Police confirm hazing killed UST law student

“The law was strengthened,” he said.

“Matibay na ‘yan e (It’s already fortified). As a matter of fact, there are so many fraternity officers convicted already,” he added.

Horacio Castillo III, a freshman law student from UST, was found dead in Tondo, Manila early Monday. His body was bloated, full of drops of candle wax, and wrapped in a blanket.

READ: Mom of killed UST law student asks: What happened to my son?

Aguirre has ordered the National Bureau of Investigation to investigate the killing. /idl

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