User:Naraht/Alpha Phi Beta

https://www.manilatimes.net/2011/01/15/opinion/columnists/on-the-good-side-of-history/648336/ https://www.pressreader.com/philippines/philippine-daily-inquirer-1109/20141023/281865821731775

The Sigma Rho Fraternity (ΣΡ) is a College of Law-based fraternity of the University of the Philippines Diliman and reputed to be the pioneer in law-student fraternities in Asia. It maintains its singular existence with resident and alumni brods. The two letters of the Greek alphabet are its emblems for the stature of the brods as "Seekers of the Right".

About
The Sigma Rho Fraternity is a Law-based fraternity in the University of the Philippines College of Law and has been in continuous existence for more than 75 years, having been formally founded in 1938. It celebrated its Golden year in 1988. The Greek initials ΣΡ of Sigma Rho stand for the initials of Sanchez Roman, a Spanish jurist whose scholarly commentaries on the Civil Code of Spain were authoritative references used by the students of the UP College of Law.

History
The Sigma Rho Fraternity was formally organized during the pre-war era in 1938 at the University of the Philippines College of Law through the initiative of some twelve idealistic junior law students Padre Faura St., Manila. Attracted by the Fraternity's laudable objectives especially in the field of scholarship, the cream of the UP Law studentry joined and were initiated into the Sigma Rho. Among them were law freshmen students like Jovito R. Salonga, Pedro L. Yap and Manuel Montecillo who later topped the 1944, 1946, and 1949 bar examinations, respectively.

The fraternity’s presiding officer is known as the Grand Archon, which means Chief Magistrate in ancient Greece. The first person to ever have served as the fraternity's Grand Archon was George V. McLure, an American Law student from the UP College of Law.

Fraternity wars
On December 8, 1994, Dennis Venturina, a Sigma Rhoan, was murdered by members of the Scintilla Juris Fraternity. The Philippine Supreme Court has recently upheld in 2014 the convictions of 5 Scintilla Juris members for murder (Daniel Feliciano Jr., Julius Victor Medalla, Christopher Soliva, Warren Zingapan and Robert Michael Beltran Alvir). But on April 2019, the 5 Scintilla Juris members who were convicted for the murder of Venturina have been released from the New Bilibid Prison, due to the law that increased the Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA) for prisoners.

On February 10, 2000, Den Daniel Reyes, a member of the rival Alpha Phi Beta Fraternity, was killed in a riot with members of the Sigma Rho Fraternity. Den Daniel Reyes suffered multiple stab wounds and died not long after. Several eyewitnesses have testified that the members of the Sigma Rho Fraternity were attacked by armed and hooded men near the UP Law Center, which resulted in the death of the Alpha Phi Beta Fraternity member.

Initiation-related hazing
Cris Mendez, a 20-year-old graduating UP student allegedly died during an initiation rite with the fraternity on August 27, 2007. Mendez was rushed to Veterans Memorial Hospital where he was declared dead on arrival. Quezon City police investigators found out that Mendez was a victim of hazing due to “bruises all over his body, particularly on the back of his arms and thighs.”

Ramon Magsaysay Awardee and former Senate President Jovito Salonga has resigned as member of the Sigma Rho fraternity because of this incident. In a statement sent to the Inquirer, Salonga, one of the most prominent Sigma Rhoans, said that he was resigning “because of recent events in which Sigma Rho has been involved”.

Judiciary

 * Antonio Carpio - Associate Justice, Supreme Court
 * Serafin R. Cuevas - former Associate Justice, Supreme Court
 * Marcelo Fernan - former Chief Justice and Senate President

Executive and local government units

 * Hilario Davide III - Governor of Cebu
 * Rafael M. Salas - former Executive Secretary, Office of the President of the Philippines

Senate

 * Edgardo Angara - former Senate President
 * Sonny Angara - Senator
 * Franklin Drilon - Senate President
 * Juan Ponce Enrile - former Senate President
 * Jovito Salonga - former Senate President, resigned from fraternity in 2007

House of Representatives

 * Simeon Datumanong - House Representative
 * Raul Daza - House Representative
 * Oscar Gozos - Former House Representative
 * Victor Sumulong - Former House Representative

Other notable members

 * Joe Lipa - former coach of the Philippines men's national basketball team
 * Simeon Marcelo - third Ombudsman of the Philippines