Tuesday, May 01, 2007 Annual registration of frat groups urged By Rimaliza Opiña
WITH the alarming rate of criminality brought about by warring fraternities, an ordinance regulating the creation of such organization was proposed before the Baguio City Council.
Authored by Baguio Councilor Elmer Datuin, the proposal mandates an annual registration of fraternities in the city.
"The rash of violent incidents can no longer be considered as mere petty quarrels and as such, there is an urgent necessity for the City Government to introduce and implement stricter measures to regulate the formation of such groups with the end in view of minimizing if not eliminating frat wars and consequently to prevent further and more serious incidents," Datuin explained.
He added that altercations between warring fraternity groups is an indication of mounting violence here.
The plan is also to protect the youth because majority of the identified frat members are minors, the councilor added.
Registration forms would include information on the complete list of the names and addresses of frat officers, headquarters' location, and other information that may be prescribed by the community affairs division of the Baguio City Police Office.
Prescribed penalties for non-registration, involvement in public disorder and for organizing a fraternity without the needed registration, would be P1,000 to P5,000 and community service ranging from five to 15 days, respectively.
Sun.Star earlier reported that a high school student was almost killed after he and other teenaged fraternity "brothers" were shot by a member of a rival group near the Supreme Court (SC) compound along Session Road Extension.
Although the gunman and his cohort have already been identified by witnesses, policemen are still hunting them down.
Baguio Police Chief Moises Guevarra described the injured victim to be only 16 years old, an alleged member of the Pinoy True Crips (PTC) fraternity, and a resident of Bakakeng.
The perpetrators were also identified by witnesses as both reported members of the North Side Terrorists fraternity.
