Culture of violence among UP frats ‘getting worse’ Margaux Ortiz Inquirer
September 01, 2007
MANILA, Philippines – A few weeks ago, 11 fraternities in the University of the Philippines in Diliman gathered at the Iskolar ng Bayan Village near the campus to build houses for homeless marginalized members of the community.
The project, “From Rumbles to Rubbles,” hoped to bring together fratmen in an atmosphere of peace and cooperation, said UP National College of Public Administration and Governance (NCPAG) dean Alex Brillantes Jr.
“The activity was meant to divert the guys’ energies from violent skirmishes to positive action,” Brillantes, who initiated the project with non-government organization Gawad Kalinga (GK), told the Inquirer.
The project was a success, Brillantes noted in the GK Township Development Summit in Ateneo de Manila University last Sunday. Then NCPAG student Cris Anthony Mendez died, a suspected hazing victim.
“There are just certain things beyond our control,” Brillantes lamented. A fratman himself, the dean said the culture of violence among UP fraternities had gotten worse. Brillantes said he was beaten up by members of a rival fraternity in his third year at the university. But fraternity members only used their fists in the past. Today’s fratmen had become more violent, he said.
Last year, NCPAG student and Alpha Phi Beta member Paul Marasigan was attacked with lead pipes. But the charges he filed against two Sigma Rho members were dismissed by the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office last week for lack of evidence.
Brillantes said the incident prompted him to put up a gate at the NCPAG building for security purposes. More lights were also installed.
After Marasigan was attacked, another NCPAG student’s car was smashed, suspected to be a retaliatory act.
Interestingly, the car, a Mitsubishi Lancer owned by a certain Fuzzy Clemente, a Sigma Rhoan, was last seen on Saturday with Mendez and NCPAG student council chair Ariel Paolo Ante inside. Ante has not been seen on campus after the incident.
