UP Sigma Rho Fraternity

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The Sigma Rho Fraternity

ΣΡ

Founded 1938; 80 years ago

University of the Philippines College of Law

Type University

Scope University of the Philippines Diliman

Motto Seekers of the Right

Colors Maroon, Green, White, Gold

Symbol Fraternity seal

Chapters None
 Headquarters University of the Philippines Diliman

Quezon City, NCR

Philippines

Website http://www.upsigmarho.com/

The Sigma Rho Fraternity 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".

Contents

 1About
 2History
 3Incidents
o 3.1Fraternity wars
o 3.2Initiation-related hazing
 4Notable members
o 4.1Bar Topnotchers
o 4.2Judiciary
o 4.3Executive and local government units
o 4.4Senate
o 4.5House of Representatives
o 4.6Constitutional offices
o 4.7Academe
o 4.8Arts and literature
o 4.9Sports
o 4.10Other notable members
 5References

About[edit]
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. 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.[1]

History[edit]
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.[2]

Incidents[edit]
Fraternity wars[edit]
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).[3]
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.[4] 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 tragic death of the Alpha Phi Beta Fraternity member.[5]
Initiation-related hazing[edit]
Cris Mendez, a 20-year-old graduating UP student allegedly died during an initiation rite with the
fraternity on August 27, 2007.[6] 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.”[7]
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.”.[7]

Notable members[edit]
Bar Topnotchers[edit]

 Pedro L. Yap ’39- 1st place, 1946

 Antonio G. Ibarra ’40- 5th place, 1946
 Manuel G. Montecillo ’39- 1st place, 1948
 Ramon O. Reynoso ’47- 2nd place, 1950
 Isidro C. Zarraga ’41- 6th place, 1951
 Andres C. Regalado ’48- 6th place, 1952
 Alfredo M. Marigomen ’48- 8th place, 1952
 Jose E. Picazo ’52- 7th place, 1957
 Jose C. Concepcion ’53- 2nd place, 1958
 Manuel G. Abello ’54 GA*‘57- 1st place, 1958
 Romulo M. Villa ’56- 5th place, 1959
 Manuel B. Zamora, Jr. ’55- 3rd place, 1961
 Hector A. Martinez ’59- 2nd place, 1963
 Antonio A. Picazo ’61- 6th place, 1963
 Fulgencio S. Factoran, Jr. ’63- 9th place, 1967
 Franklin M. Drilon ’66- 3rd place, 1969
 Victor P. Lazatin ’63- 3rd place, 1971
 Presbiterio J. Velasco ‘66- 6th place, 1971
 Luis A. Vera Cruz, Jr. ’70- 10th place, 1974
 Antonio T. Carpio ’70 GA*’73- 6th place, 1975
 Vicente Q. Roxas ’71- 10th place, 1975
 Avelino J. Cruz, Jr. ’75- 7th place, 1977
 Cosme D. Rosell ’75- 1st place, 1978
 Simeon V. Marcelo’75- 5th place, 1979
 Greg V. Cabantac ’90- 3rd place, 1994
 Raj C. Palacios ’96- 5th place, 1998
 Rodolfo Aquino ‘66- 10th place, 2011
 Cyril G. Arnesto ’09- 10th place, 2013
 Mark Leo P. Bejemino '11- 4th place, 2014
Judiciary[edit]

 Magno Gatmaitan '38- Charter Adviser of the founding Members in 1938; former Associate
Justice, Court of Appeals and UP College of Law professor
 Pedro Yap,'39- former Chief Justice, Supreme Court of the Philippines
 Marcelo Fernan '48- former Chief Justice and Senate President

Chief Justice Marcelo Fernan'48

 Serafin R. Cuevas ’48- Former Associate Justice, Supreme Court, Defense lawyer of former CJ
Corona in the Impeachment Proceedings
 Efren Plana ’48- Former Associate Justice, Supreme Court
Buenaventura J Guerrero '52 Associate Justice,Court of Appeals

 Presbiterio Velasco '66- Associate Justice, Supreme Court

 Antonio Carpio '70’GA*’73- Associate Justice, Supreme Court
 J. Conrado Castro ’81 GA*’84- Former Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) Member
 Hakim Abdulwahid ’66- Court of Appeals Justice
 Romeo Barza ’70- Court of Appeals Justice
 Jhoseph Lopez ’81-Court of Appeals Justice, Former Manila Chief Prosecutor
 Cesar A. Mangrobang, Sr. ’69- Former Presiding Judge of the Regional Trial Court, Branch 22,
Cavite City
Executive and local government units[edit]

 Rafael M. Salas, '48- former Executive Secretary, Office of the President of the Philippines,
Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations, and Founder, UN Fund for Population Activities
(UNFPA)
 Jose Leido, Jr.,’51- former Minister of Natural Resources, Assistant Executive Secretary and
Legislator
 Wilfrido Villacorta- Philippine's Permanent Representative to the ASEAN, member of the 1986
Constitutional Commission
 Arthur Defensor '59- Iloilo Governor and Former House Representative Majority Floor Leader
 Rene C.Villa '75 - Former Secretary ,Department of Agrarian Reform.
 Fulgencio Factoran ’63- Former Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources
 Avelino “Nonong” Cruz ’75- Former Secretary of National Defense
 Eduardo de Mesa ’80- Former Presidential Legal Counsel
 Ronald O. Solis '81- Former NTC Commissioner
 Jose Anselmo Cadiz ’81- Former Solicitor-General
 Wenceslao Trinidad ’51 GA*’55- Former Pasay City Mayor
 Hilario Davide III '85- Current Cebu Governor
 Aquil Tamano '91- Current Commissioner, Games and Amusements Board
Senate[edit]

 Juan Ponce Enrile '52, former Senate President, also former Secretary/Minister of National
Defense as well as Congressman from Cagayan
 Edgardo Angara, '52, former Senate President, Executive Secretary, Secretary of Agriculture,
and President, University of the Philippines
 Franklin Drilon '66, current Senate President as well as Executive Secretary, Secretary of
Justice, and Secretary of Labor, all under President Corazon Aquino
 Jovito Salonga, '39, former Senate President (resigned)
 Sonny Angara, '96, current Senator, former Representative of the Lone District of Aurora
House of Representatives[edit]

 Simeon Datumanong '54- House Representative and Former Secretary of Justice

 Luis Villafuerte '55- Former House Representative
 Simeon Kintanar ’54- Former House Representative
 Macabangkit Lanto ’63- Former House Representative, former DOJ Underecretary
 Allen Quimpo ’63- Former House Representative
 Victor Sumulong '68- Former House Representative
 Oscar Gozos '70 GA*’75- Former House Representative and Lipa City Mayor
 Rolex Suplico '84- Former House Representative
 Ranjit Shahani '89- Former Pangasinan Vice-Governor and House Representative
 Ronald Cosalan '73 GA*'82- House Representative
 Jesulito "Jessie" Manalo '72- House Representative, Angkla Party-list
 Raul Daza '54- House Representative
 Nelson Collantes '70- House Representative
 Arthur "Toto" Defensor Jr. '87- House Representative
Constitutional offices[edit]

 Simeon Marcelo, '75, Ombudsman (2002-2005)

Academe[edit]

 Domingo Disini ’52- Labor law expert, Professor, UP College of Law

 Bartolome Carale '52- Insurance law expert, Professor, UP College of Law
 Rogelio Vinluan '57- Evidence law expert, Professor, UP College of Law
Arts and literature[edit]

 Stevan Javellana ’39- Author of “Without Seeing the Dawn”

 Rick Rocamora '63- multi-awarded international Photojournalist
 José Aruego ‘50 (August 9, 1932-August 9, 2012) was a Filipino children's book author and
illustrator. He was born in Manila and once worked as a lawyer. He died in New York City, where
he lived for decades, on August 9, 2012.
Sports[edit]

 Joe Lipa ’63- Former basketball coach of the National Team and coach of the 1986 UP UAAP
Championship Team
 Cholo Cayanga '87 - Former player of the UP Men's Football Team, UAAP Champion 1987,
Team Captain UAAP Champion 1990, Philippine National Team (14 and Under - Gothia Cup -
Sweden and Helsinki Cup - Finland), Philippine National Team Co-Captain (19 and Under)
 Step Permanes '08 - Former member of the UP Men's Football Champion Team Season 70 and
72, Former UP Men's Football Team Captain 2010 and UAAP Season 72 Most Valuable Player
 Allen Jose Serna '08 - Former member of the UP Men's Football Champion Team Season 70,72
and 73, Former member of the Philippine National Football Team (2009-2013) and UAAP
Season 70 Best Defender
 Keith "Es" Mordeno '08 - Former member of the UP Men's Football Champion Team Season
70,72 and 73
Other notable members[edit]

 Romeo Capulong '54- Prominent Human Rights Lawyer

 Macapanton Abbas Jr.’63 Grand Archon* '66- Former Secretary-General, Bangsa Moro
Liberation Organization, Sultan of Ranao
 Firdausi Abbas '66- Sultan of Lanao
 Fidel Agcaoili '62- Chairperson NDFP Monitoring Committee
 Rafael Baylosis '67 - Member, Peace Negotiation Panel, NDF
 Reynaldo Samaco '61 - Rebolusyonaryong Alyansang Makabansa

References[edit]
1. ^ Abaya, Eduardo. "Recollections on the Fraternity". Retrieved 8 February 2015.
2. ^ "About the Fraternity". Retrieved 8 February 2015.
3. ^ Aning, Jerome (8 June 2014). "SC upholds murder conviction of 5 UP fratmen". Inquirer.net.
Retrieved 8 February 2015.
 4. ^ Bagares, Romel (20 February 2000). "Joint CPD-UP police patrols proposed to curb frat violence in
Dilimancampus". PhilSTAR.com. Retrieved 7 September 2013.
5. ^ Bagares, Romel (28 November 2000). "3 UP Sigma Rhoans charged". PhilSTAR.com. Retrieved 8
February 2015.
6. ^ "Doctor who brought Cris Mendez to VMMC surfaces". 2007-10-01. Retrieved 2008-01-03.
7. ^ a b Santos, Tina (2007-09-15). "Salonga resigns from Sigma Rho". Philippine Daily Inquirer.
Retrieved 2008-10-22.
Categories:
 Fraternities and sororities in the Philippines
 Student societies in the Philippines
 University of the Philippines
 Student organizations established in 1938
 Legal fraternities and sororities in the Philippines
 1938 establishments in the Philippines
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 This page was last edited on 21 May 2018, at 17:03 (UTC).

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