12 Sigma Rhoans face expulsion raps

Twelve officers and members of the Sigma Rho fraternity would be subjected to expulsion proceedings in connection with the death of graduating public administration student Cris Anthony Mendez, a University of the Philippines (UP) official said on Tuesday. Elizabeth Enriquez, UP vice chancellor for student affairs, told GMA News that the 12 fraternity officers and members who would undergo the proceedings were the same people who were earlier reported to be responsible for subjecting Mendez to initiation rites. She said the UP administration's move against Sigma Rho was part of its administrative right to effectively implement regulations for fraternities and student organizations in the campus. Early this month, university officials slapped Sigma Rho officials at UP-Diliman with 30-day suspension amid the investigation on the hazing incident that led to the death of Mendez. Mendez was declared dead on arrival at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City last August 27. Inspector Lino Banaag, chief of the homicide section of the Quezon City police, said earlier that up to 12 people could be slapped with charges in relation to the student’s death. He said authorities were studying whether the suspected killers would be charged of homicide or murder. The inspector, however, refused to identify the suspects. He only said a female suspect, allegedly a member of the sister organization of Sigma Rho, was among those who would be charged. -Amita Legaspi, GMANews.TV