THE Supreme Court finally ruled on the Lenny Villa hazing case and found five members of the Aquila Legis fraternity at the Ateneo Law School liable in the celebrated 1991 case.

The SC found Fidelito Dizon, Antonio Mariano Almeda, Junel Anthony Ama, Renato Bantug, Jr. and Vincent Tecson guilty beyond reasonable doubt of reckless imprudence resulting in homicide.

They were sentenced “to suffer an indeterminate prison term of four months and one  day of arresto mayor, as minimum, to four years and two months of prision correccional, as maximum.”

“In addition, accused are ordered jointly and severally to pay the heirs of Lenny Villa civil indemnity ex delicto in the amount of P50,000, and moral damages in the amount of P1,000,000, plus legal interest on all damages awarded at the rate of 12% from the date of the finality of this Decision until satisfaction,” the ruling stated.

The killing of Villa on  February 10, 1991 led to a very strong clamor to put an end to hazing.

This widespread condemnation prompted Congress to enact a special law, which became effective in 1995, that criminalized hazing.

The intent of the law was to discourage hazing as a requirement for joining a sorority, fraternity, organization, or association.