Warring fraternities threaten peace in Cebu

Cebu City police chief Cecil Ezra Sandalo yesterday branded warring fraternities Tau Gamma Phi and Alpha Kappa Rho (Akrho) as threats to the city’s peace and order.

Sandalo made the announcement following the failure of his initiative to bring the two rival fraternities to the peace table.

Sandalo had called for a dialogue between the two fraternities following a spate of violent and fatal incidents involving members of both groups but only Akrho officials showed up.

The police chief said he will be ordering his men to constantly monitor the activities and movements of the two groups.

Akrho regional chairman Richard Buscayno told Sandalo that one possible reason for the violent confrontations between the two groups is the loss of control by officials over their members. He said Akrho alone has 9,000 members in Cebu, distributed among several chapters.

Buscayno suggests that screening committees in each region be formed to take charge of recruitment as well as expulsion of erring members.

Governor Pablo Garcia has also stepped into the fray and urged education officials to be involved in regulating these groups.

The move to forge a truce between Tau Gamma andAkrho started in February last year when both groups agreed on a number of steps to curb the violence. — Freeman News Service