Source: The Journal of the Jester-in-Exile On the Death of Cris Mendez
The jester-in-exile extends his condolences to the family and friends of Cris Anthony Mendez. The death of Cris is a great loss to the UP community and to society — we have lost a student leader and a scholar of the people. This, however, pales in comparison to the loss that his family has suffered; his mother has lost a son, his siblings have lost a brother, and I cannot imagine what sort of pain Cris death has brought to them.
It is said that the University of the Philippines is, sadly, no stranger to fraternity violence. This, I believe, is anathema to the pursuit of academic excellence and thus must be opposed through whatever lawful means available by we who are students of the College of Law and members of a law-abiding society.
I call upon the UP Administration, the UP Police, the Department of Justice, and the Philippine National Police to pursue the investigation of Cris’ alleged death by hazing with utmost dispatch, so that the perpetrators of the crime will be brought before the bar of justice and made to face the full force of the law in the soonest possible time.
I likewise urge both the House of Representatives and the Senate to review the Anti-Hazing Law and provide for more stringent penalties for erring fraternity officials and members. Fraternities, sororities, honor societies, and academic organizations profess to hold themselves to higher standards of excellence and virtue; as such, I believe that the members of such groups must be held to a higher standard of accountability once they have broken the law and transgressed on another’s rights.
I condemn in the strongest possible terms all fraternities, sororities, and other organizations of the University of the Philippines who, by either themselves perpetrating such brutal acts of violence, by condoning such acts committed by their members or by other organizations, or by obstructing justice by aiding in the flight or concealment of their members who have committed such acts and are being pursued by the law, promote the culture of violence and barbarism. To the long list of names that include Alex Icasiano, Dennis Venturina, and so many others traumatized or dead is the name of Cris Mendez; we cannot in good conscience turn a blind eye to the injuries and deaths that involve or are directly perpetrated by fraternities, sororities, and other organizations of the University.
I join the UP student body in the condemnation of the brutal desecration of life and all acts of torture in the name of brotherhood. I join the call to reject the culture of violence and those organizations who promote it, and I join the call to urge our fellow students to divert their energies to constructive and concerted efforts to forge a peaceful and progressive environment, both in the U.P. campus and in society at large. I call on our fellow students to reject all organizations who perpetrate senseless violence and yet have the gall to call other people who are not among their members “barbarians”.
I demand that those involved in the alleged hazing of Cris Mendez take responsibility for his needless death. I demand that the members of the organization allegedly involved to cease from obstructing justice and turn over forthwith to the authorities their members who are responsible for Cris’ death. This I demand, as a student of an institution whose reputation you have sullied by your barbaric actions. This I demand, as a future practitioner before the bar of justice. This I demand, as a member of society at large. You who profess to live by higher standards of excellence, loyalty, and virtue have the duty to prove your claim; otherwise, live henceforth with shame and dishonor.
I urge the UP studentry to take a stronger stance in opposing the culture of violence. I urge you not to condone the viciousness of this crime by keeping silent and thus aiding and abetting the flight of those guilty of Cris’ death. I urge you to assist the authorities, by providing the authorities with information leading to the arrest and conviction of the perpetrators of this dastardly act, if you know who they are and where they can be found. I urge you to support the family of the victim, by not letting friendship or affinity get in the way of justice for Cris. I urge you to actively oppose the culture of violence, by refusing to join organizations that promote this or by renouncing one’s membership in an organization that does so.
I ask the public at large to await the results of the investigation with vigilance, but I ask you to do so with righteous indignation instead of calm and sobriety. We must not allow the death of Cris to be forgotten, for to allow ourselves to forget is allow this death to happen again — to someone else’s friend, to someone else’s brother, to someone else’s son. Although we want that the justice we claim for Cris be a justice that will also be bestowed unerringly on his killers, we also want that justice be granted to society at large, by ensuring that these deaths will not happen again by refusing to relegate these senseless acts of violence to forgetfulness.
I, the jester-in-exile, wish to do my part in making sure that Cris did not die in vain. I hope that I can persuade the UP studentry and society at large to do the same.
1 September 2007
The Jester-in-Exile
Yes, it’s a derivative of the UP Law student body statement. Like I implied last post, I’m disappointed at how weak the statement was.
Again, if there’s anyone who wants to adopt a version of my statement above as their own, especially among UP students, you have my permission. Go ahead and make it your own.
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Bakit kayo tahimik, mga iskolar ng bayan?
Papayagan ba nating patuloy na lamang ang karahasang nasasapit ng ating mga kapwa mag-aaral dahil sa mga fraternity?
Kung hindi tayo kikilos, sino pa?
Kung hindi ngayon, kailan pa?
Ang pagtatagumpay ng kasamaan ay dahil lamang sa pananahimik ng mabuting tao. Papayag ba kayo nito?
Oo ang sagot ninyo? TANG-INA NINYO.
***
Rest easy, Cris. We who will not forget will do what we can for you — and we’ll do what we can to prevent the same evil from befalling those of our own.
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