MANILA— President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday criticized the unnecessary violence incited for the sake of joining fraternities, saying that does not make anyone a man.

Duterte, a member of Lex Talionis Fraternitas Inc., recalled urging his fraternity to stop hazing at some point, or at least lessen the practice.

• Duterte on fraternity hazing: ‘Hindi mo maalis iyan’

"Sobrang physical punishment. Noong nagkasabay kaming tatlo, naging presidente ako... We wrote our fraternity to stop the instances of inflicting severe pain," Duterte said.

"'Yung mga fraternity -- may bago na namang namatay -- ano ba ang makuha nito?" he added.

The President described fraternities as something meant for academic pursuit.

"'Yung mga fraternities hindi ka maging masyadong lalaki. You cannot be more of human even to yourself if you kill another human being na helpless. Hindi naman makaganti."

In 2018, the President signed into law a tougher anti-hazing measure which imposes higher penalties for those who will be found guilty of hazing.

• Duterte signs law that bans hazing in all forms

Republic Act 11053 or the Anti-Hazing Act of 2018 was enacted into law nearly a year since the death of hazing victim Horacio "Atio" Castillo III, a University of Santo Tomas law freshman.

The 22-year-old died of heart attack after sustaining "massive injuries" from the beating he received during the initiation rites of fraternity Aegis Juris.

In 2020, Duterte issued a written proclamation that makes the second week of every February as the National Hazing Prevention Week.

• Duterte sets National Hazing Prevention Week every 2nd week of February