Tingog.com

The case of Cris Anthony Mendez has been on my mind, and no doubt on the minds of many Filipinos. A graduating Public Administration’s student of UP Diliman, about to pursue Law, he is another victim of fraternity violence, an all too common scenario that is being played out across the many institutions in The Philippines. This murder, and it is a murder, was allegedly perpetrated, by no less than his soon-to-be Sigma Rho fraternity brothers. Now, that’s what they call love.

And what exactly was that Act of Love? A last rite act known as hazing where punches, kicks, paddles, pipes, and sometimes even hard metal objects are used to hit the individual, and in this case, until he is dead. As was reported from Cris’ autopsy, the blows caused “traumatic injuries on the upper and lower extremities”, which were seen externally as bruises, being more pronounced in the arm, back, and thigh area. Cris also incurred a bruised lung. Cris was pronounced Dead on Arrival when a band of cowards brought his dead body to The Veterans Memorial Medical Center around 1am Monday Morning, August 27.

Who knows, what we could have had with Cris Mendez working in our society. We will never know, and that is the sad tragedy that we have today. A future that could have been, and a future that was stolen.

There is no love in violence. It’s twisted, and individuals who take part in these violent hazings are not thinking about the welfare of their future “brods”. They are in it to inflict harm. The mentality that goes into a hazing, is that the “masters” have gone through the same ritual, and thus they see it fit to inflict the same kind of bodily harm to the neophyte. They must think to themselves, “I’ve been through it, why should he be let off easy”.

It’s a culture of perpetual violence, because those who pass the initiation and final hazing, will do the same to the next neophytes.

Many of us probably have friends that have joined fraternities, and believe me, many of lives would have been better without Fraternities. Many fraternities are an institutionalized form of violent gangs.

And what more, is that The University of The Philippines, with its many outstanding students, are lumped in and becoming seen as an institution of excellence, with an occasional brawl, violence, and even murder. Sad, that such pure barbaric and even criminal activities are occurring in one of our nation’s most respected institutions.

First of all, doesn’t it make sense, that those who know of the hazing should be suspended. Next, the entire Fraternity should be forced to leave the halls of UP. And those directly involved in the murder be held criminally liable, as well as those who aided in the death. Yes, I believe that every fraternity member should be suspended. Certainly all of the members knew about the hazing, and are thus involved in an illegal activity that should not be taking place. I say, if The University of The Philippines is serious about ending this long stint of fraternity violence in UP, then they should expel each and every member of the fraternity involved, and then disband that said fraternity and ban them from their institution.

Citing Freedom of Association as a hurdle in moving in this direction, I say that is just plain idiotic and morally wrong. Freedom of Association does not entail Freedom of Violence. As with anything that we talk about here at Tingog.com, accountability is the key in which we can truly bring justice to those who deserve it. And thus a just punishment for Sigma Rho is to have them completely banned from The University of The Philippines.

Does The UP Administration have the guts to do this, even after considering that many powerful alumni would not condone such an action?

Yes, it’s the right thing to do, but as we all know, the right thing isn’t always the only consideration for administrative officials. But, to the administration of UP, I say this: Grow some spine, and do what is right, because the students who are learning under this institution will forever remember, not only the cowardice of those who perpetrated this murder, but to the Administration that did nothing.

And to the members of Sigma Rho, quit while you’re ahead. For a time will come, when you are on your death bed, looking back on your life, the men who sit beside you will not be your “brothers”, but it will be your family, related by blood, not violence.