Upsilon Sigma Phi member resigns from fraternity a day after #LonsiLeaks

November 22, 2018 - 2:52 PM
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University of the Philippines
Photo of the University of the Philippines campus. (Photos from Palma Hall Facebook page)

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.

Some however called on Serrano to join the calls to probe the fraternity.

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.

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.

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.