A member of Upsilon Sigma Phi fraternity resigned a day after screenshots of a conversation containing mostly misogynistic remarks were tied to a still unconfirmed member of the fraternity.
Ian Serrano, a student leader at the University of the Philippines Diliman declared in a Facebook post on Thursday, November 22, that he will resign from the prominent student fraternity, which he joined in 2015.
“What I have witnessed and experienced within the fraternity in the past few days has disillusioned me beyond I could have ever predicted,” he wrote.
According to Serrano, he resigned not because he felt disdain for the fraternity but because he was disillusioned.
“This is not the fraternity I envisioned based on our doctrines and imperatives. We have not exemplified responsible leadership in this University. We have not lived up to our imperatives of integrity and service enough. We have not self-negated for the greater good,” he explained.
Serrano received some praise from his decision.
USC Councilor Ian Serrano resigns from the Upsilon Sigma Phi fraternity. No more LOAs, no more tokenistic action points. This is the accountability students deserve from student leaders, no less. pic.twitter.com/TWtxbxnvIR
— Benjie Aquino (@_benj_BODY) November 22, 2018
Ian Serrano, STRAW Councilor from UP Alyansa, has resigned from the Upsilon Sigma Phi.
Suddenly, I feel hope. pic.twitter.com/StLi2qlFjV
— Magnolia del Rosario (@freshlikemagi) November 22, 2018
Some however called on Serrano to join the calls to probe the fraternity.
[THREAD] Hello, Councilor Ian Serrano, since you've officially resigned from UPSILON. It is now your turn to expose those who were involved in FRVs, sexual harassments, misogyny etc.
You now have the full support of UP community in fighting to end this culture of violence.
— Upsilon Dark Ages (@updankages) November 22, 2018
A number of Serrano’s “brods” denounced the views of the member accused of sending the messages and called on their frat to conduct an investigation on the matter.
One member, Rafael Toribio, also a student council officer, declared that he would be going on a leave of absence from the fraternity.
Some however remained unconvinced of the Upsilon members’ statements, saying that there were scarce calls for genuine accountability.
"This was not the Upsilon I joined". Might just be me, but with statements coming out at roughly the same time, with roughly the same outline/messages, it seems more of a concerted effort to save the face of the fraternity instead of a concerted effort to seek accountability.
— Viko Fumar (@VikoFumar) November 21, 2018
The Twitter account which circulated the screenshots, @Upsilon100, has since changed privacy settings.
Campus controversy
Other student groups in the university continue to denounce the statements made by the alleged Upsilon member, even after some of its members called for internal verification of the screenshots.
NOW HAPPENING: The League of College Councils condemn the recent frat-related violence perpetrated in the halls of our University.
Join the mobilization at the AS Parking Lot now!#EndFRV#EndMisogyny#EndBigotry pic.twitter.com/Wo3PHh7kS2
— UP College of Fine Arts Student Council (@updcfasc) November 22, 2018
The controversial screenshots contained messages justifying the killing of indigenous and Muslim people and the use of physical force on women.
Upsilon Sigma Phi, which was supposed to be celebrating its 100th year in 2018, since its founding has produced prominent members such as presidents Jose Laurel and Ferdinand Marcos, senator Benigno Aquino Jr., as well as incumbent senators Kiko Pangilinan and Richard Gordon.
Upsilod Sigma Phi was also involved in a violent encounter inside campus with another fraternity, Alpha Phi Beta, on November 14.
The fraternity has yet to issue an official statement as of this writing.
While fraternity culture is known for fostering strong loyalty among its members, recent history has seen fraternity members sever ties from their brothers due to the controversies involving their fraternity’s name.
The late former senate president and human rights lawyer Jovito Salonga, a founding member of the Sigma Rho fraternity, resigned from the group after a neophyte reportedly died during its initiation rites in September 2007.
