UP Alyansa expels student council chair, calls for resignation over frat violence

Campus political party UP Alyansa has expelled University Student Council Chairman JP Delas Nieves from its ranks over fraternity-related violence at the University of the Philippines in Diliman two weeks ago.

 

In a statement posted on their Facebook page on Thursday, UP Alyansa said Delas Nieves, who is a member of the Upsilon Sigma Phi fraternity that was allegedly involved in the incident, failed to honor his word. 

 

“We had an agreement. UP ALYANSA and JP signed a contract prior to the last USC Elections that compels him to resign from Upsilon Sigma Phi should the fraternity be involved with an incident of violence,” it read.

 

“In enforcing the said contract, UP ALYANSA sought to ensure that JP, as an elected student leader, is accountable not just to the formation, but more importantly to the student body that he serves,” it continued.

 

UP Alyansa also said Delas Nieves initially asked for an extension for the request for him to resign but ultimately decided not to leave the fraternity.

 

“In accordance with this contract, he was asked to resign from the fraternity by June 29, 2015. The formation agreed to a final extension requested by JP and we gave him until July 2, 2015. On his final deadline, he announced via Facebook that he will not be resigning from his fraternity,” it said.

 

Due to this development, UP Alyansa member and USC Councilor Allan Pangilinan in a text message to GMA News Online on Friday called for Delas Nieves' resignation as USC chairman.

 

“Consequently, we urge him to resign from the University Student Council to uphold the insitution's integrity and honor. JP should put in mind that he's a student-leader who happened to be a fratman and not a fratman who happened to be a student-leader,” Pangilinan said.

Delas Nieves: I swore to serve the students

 

Delas Nieves, on his own Facebook page, stressed that he is against all forms of violence and wants a speedy investigation into the incidents of fraternity-related violence where four UP students from the Alpha Sigma fraternity were hurt.

 

"Titiyakin ko na haharap sa bawat paglilitis ang lahat ng miyembro ng Upsilon na ngayon ay pinaghihinalaang sangkot sa karahasan," he said.

 

He said, however, that resigning from either the student council or his fraternity will not help matters.

 

"Ako any tumanggap ng kanilang mandato (UP students) sa isang demokratiko at patas na halalan. Ako ay sumumpang magsisilbi sa lubos ng aking makakaya. Kaya’t hindi tama at makatwiran na talikuran ko ang sagradong katungkulang ito. Wala akong ginawang kasalanan kanino man. Wala akong nilabag na alituntunin ng Unibersidad. Malinis ang aking konsensya. At walang idudulot na kabutihan ang pagbibitiw ko sa USC," he said.

 

"Hindi ako magbibitiw sa Upsilon dahil ako ay patuloy na naniniwala sa adhikain ng aking fraternity na nagsusulong ng kagalingan at paglilingkod ng para sa pag-unlad ng pamayanan," he also said.

 

The four Alpha Sigma members were assaulted by alleged members of the Upsilon Sigma Phi fraternity on two separate incidents in June.

 

Five of the suspects were caught and turned over to the Quezon City Police District while authorities are still searching for the five other suspects. — Andrei Medina/JDS, GMA News