Senator Aquilino 'Koko' Pimentel on Friday proposed to scrap the Reserved Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) following the death of John Matthew Salilig, a 24-year-old student who was allegedly a victim of fraternity hazing.
"Scrap the bill making ROTC mandatory. Make it only optional to those who are "militarily inclined" or interested in military matters," Pimentel said in a statement.
Senator Risa Hontiveros backed Pimentel’s proposal and maintained her opposition against ROTC.
In a statement, Hontiveros cited the case of Mark Welson Chua, a student from the University of Santo Tomas (UST), who died after exposing the corruption and extortion in the ROTC program.
"Walang puwang ang anumang uri ng karahasan sa ating mga paaralan at pamantasan. There is no compelling justification to revive the mandatory ROTC program," she said.
Hontiveros said authorities in the education sector should instead focus on making "campuses safe spaces and exert zero-tolerance of savage practices like hazing, to protect students from all forms of violence and unnecessary, preventable deaths."
The Senator also said the billions of funds allocated for the ROTC program are just a waste of public money.
Meanwhile, Senator Ronald 'Bato' Dela Rosa, one of the authors of the proposed ROTC bill, questioned the calls.
"What is the connection? Eh namatay siya dahil sa fraternity hazing. Hindi naman siya namatay sa ROTC training. Bakit gamitin nila 'yan na rason para hindi ituloy ang ROTC bill? That is a very very desperate, pathetic move," he said during a radio interview.
