The tragedy that was the 2010 Bar Exams Bombing spawned another tragedy which directly affected Alpha Phi Omega as an organization: the tragedy of a Secretary of Justice pinpointing APO as the perpetrator of the dastardly deed even before all angles of the incident has been exhaustively investigated and intelligently discarded. It was, after all, Sherlock Holmes who said, in the “Sign of the Four” that “when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.” To further cast calumny on Alpha Phi Omega, the Secretary of Justice questionably blamed Alpha Phi Omega as the perpetrator of two other grenade attacks in Metro Manila and, thereafter, directed the NBI to find the evidence to sustain her determination. This is not justice nor even a parody of justice but a clear case of pseudo-bill of attainder where membership to APO automatically makes one a suspect. The Secretary of Justice makes a mockery of the Blackstonian formulation that “better that ten guilty persons escape than that one innocent suffer.” This is the reason for the call:

JUSTICE FOR ALPHA PHI OMEGA

The tragedy of blaming Alpha Phi Omega for the incident has spawned a much greater tragedy: that the true perpetrators of the 2010 Bar Exams Grenade Attack will go scot-free, never to face the bar of justice. As the State’s resources are expended on a clearly unjust prosecution, the trail leading to the true architects of the crime becomes obfuscated while the memories of the witnesses, defective as these naturally are, become even more defective as these are diluted by misidentifications of the clearly innocent. And as the trail grows cold and memories fade, the offenders escape unscathed even by the vexations of accusation and prosecution. In the end, therefore, the victims are the true losers which is the reason for the cry:

JUSTICE TO THE BAR BLAST VICTIMS

The greatest injustice of all is that the agency which is tasked by law to determine probable cause makes an accusation before gathering evidence to support the indictment. To make matters worse, the Secretary of Justice publicly denounces Alpha Phi Omega, forgetting her duties, both as THE Secretary of Justice, a FORMER Chair of the Commission on Human Rights, and, most importantly, as a lawyer trained in the intricacies of the law, that the pantheon upon which all rights proceed is that: “No person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law, nor shall any person be denied the equal protection of the laws.” Equally forgotten is the premier legal presumption of all, which applies in all instances and in all cases that “a person is presumed to be innocent of crime or wrong.” When these rights and presumption are forsaken for the sake of expediency, then we revert to the tyranny of old where the fate of all persons are determined, not by law, but by the will of the individual who rules over his fellowmen. Thus, we plead for –

JUSTICE FOR ALL

As our brothers “streak through storied history,” never before has an issue directly affected the Fraternity as the present witchhunt. Never before has the spirit of defiance and freedom been more apropos than at present where the strong arm of the State has once more been heavily laid

The ancient Eta Chapter Bulletin Board. Still looking good after 20 years(?)

AS Walk in Blue and Gold

Eta Chapter Alumni Leadership

Eta Alumni and Visiting brethren from other chapters pose with APO National President Mel Adriano

The 90′s

Bro. Ojie Santillan

Calm before the storm

AS Steps

Here it comes…

The banners of Leadership, Friendship and Service

Hubad na mga Bayani

The residents of our chapter in cooperation with STAND UP – the leading political alliance of organizations, conducted an election automation forum last December 8, 2009 at the UP College of Law Theater. I did the opening remarks for the event and another one from the University Student Council delivered another speech. Speakers were Leo Lim from the Technical Department of the COMELEC who facilitated the dry-run of automated elections and presented the pros and cons of the process, Dr. Arwin Serrano from the PPCRV discussed other features of the system, Congressman Mong Palatino of Kabataan delivered another speech, as well as Professor Rosa Castillo from CENPEG, and finally a representative from the Center for Nationalist Studies. Around 40-50 students from different communities near UP participated and asked questions during the open forum. We gave Jojo Binay folders which the students appreciated. At the end of the day, it was a success. We are planning another automation forum come January or early March.

Yesterday, we went to CRIBS Foundation for abused female children. Around 20-30 were there to participate. We played games, sang songs, gave some inspirational messages, ate together, and saw a movie. We arrived at around 4 PM and finished the project around 8 PM. Again, it was a success and we will definitely go back there.

Our Prison Project, in cooperation with NCAR will be on the 20th of December. It was originally scheduled today but we are allowed by the jail management of Bilibid on the 20th from 12 noon onwards.

Tomorrow, we will be having our Pagbangon Benefit Concert at Skylark Bar and Grill. A portion of the proceeds will be given to CRIBS and victims of the recent typhoons. Tickets will be at 250 Php inclusive of 1 beer, and the show will start at 8 PM and will be finished by 2 AM. Brod Aaron “Papins” Mendoza’s band will be performing as well as Crazy as Pinoy Rap Group and other upcoming bands. So, see you there!

Finally, the Oblation Run will be on the 15th, 12 noon at the Palma Hall Building, UP Diliman. Fellowship follows at Puti Bar – Timog Avenue. Be there!

Eta for Excellence!

Fritz G. Sapon
Grand Chancellor

Just a reminder: The deadline for submission of nominees for the Oblation Run Awards is on Tuesday, December 16. So far 24 names have been submitted, but only 11 of them will be considered as the rest have already been given the award. For info, I have posted below the list of awardees since the Oblation Run Awards was instituted in 2003.

I have been asked if it is possible to nominate a group or batch. Since 2003, two groups were honored in different ways. The first is Trese Hudas 1973-B, through whose efforts this award became a reality, and whose batchname is forever inscribed in Sword of Lafayette, . The sword is not kept permanently but is passed on to the next awardee, and the awardees’ names are etched on the blade. The second group to have been honored are the Greenhouse Singers, who buoyed the fraternity’s spirits and image in the aftermath of the 1967 tragedy. So the answer is yes, a batch/group may be nominated, but no special category has been or will be created for this. The same standard is used whether the nominee is a group or individual.

Let me add that an Oblation Run Award is a prerequisite to be elligible for the Sword of Lafayette.

Again, the judges will be composed solely of previous awardees. If you are a previous awardee and would like to participate, please let me know through a private email at ferdiemarcelo@yahoo.com. It should go without saying that all judges are not to divulge the nominees, or how they voted.

Fraternally,
Ferdie Marcelo, 76C

–

Sword of Lafayette

2003 Victor J. Atienza

2004 Jejomar C. Binay

2005 Jose R. Hernandez

2006 Ed Manalac

Oblation Run Award 2003

Ernesto V. Arada III

Victor J. Atienza

Tomas C. Banguis, Jr.

Bellafor J. Angara-Castillo

Domingo M. Cobarrubias

Edna A. Corpuz

Caesar C. Cosme

Juanito I. Dakis

Sari Raissa L. Dalena

Julio F. Desamito

Glodelio M. Dimaano

Santiago F. Dumlao, Jr.

Jose V. Eco

Maximino R. Elgar

Oscar L. Evangelista

Jose Monico G. Garcia

Emilio S. Gonzales, Jr.

Greenhouse Singers

Rufino S. Ignacio

Anastacio U. Ilaga, Jr.

Nicanor K. Jorge

John Philip J. Lesaca

Jose Reynaldo J. Lesaca

Mojamito R. Libunao, Jr.

Jose Bernardo R. Lim

Rufino C. Lirag, Jr.

Roy Eduardo T. Lucero

Francisco S. Magsajo, Jr.

Eduardo U. Mañalac

Dwight P. Marquez

Nicasio M. Morales

Rogelio M. Morales, Jr.

Magtanggol R. Roque

Ricardo G. San Juan

Roberto C. San Juan

Consuelo Ynares-Santiago

Dominador H. Santos, Jr.

Nazario C. Vasquez

Jesus A. Verzosa

Nestor O. Vinluan

Raoul B. Viray

Camilo C. Wilwayco

Haydee Yorac

Oblation Run Award 2004

Federico N. Alday, Jr.

Jejomar C. Binay

Benjamin R. Buensuceso, Jr.

Antonio V. Decena

Agaton P. Maggay

Felix J. Mariñas, Jr.

Ernesto M. Molina

Ruben M. Santos

Oblation Run Award 2005

Guillermo R. Balce

Jose R. Hernandez

Jose Rafael S. Hernandez

Rosalie M. Robles-Licauco

Joel V. Mangahas

Quintin P. Pastrana

Fernando L. Viray

Oblation Run Award 2006

Butch Alo

JP Paredes

Joebert Vasquez

Lito Quiray

Tim Gutierrez

THE FLEUR-DE-LIS SERVICE AWARD

The award is given in recognition of a distinguished record of service to the country and the Filipino people. Following precedent, recipients of this award are still elligible to receive an Oblation Run Award, and vice versa.

Fleur-de-Lis 2004

Ben Hur C. Salcedo

Eduardo U. Mañalac

Grace Pulido-Tan

Jose R. Hernandez

Guillermo Joel A. Carbon

Eric Gutierrez

Joel V. Mangahas

Fleur-de-Lis 2008

Jojie Segovia

sizes: XXL, XL, L, M, S, XS, Baby T small
color: navy blue and white
price: Php300

Note: date was edited to 121608

* to order, call/ text the ff numbers: 09166146947 & 09272521602

The 5th and Final Regular Leg of the Inauguaral APO Golf Circuit, THE OBLATION RUN – DAD CLAMOR MEMORIAL CUP, will be on Tuesday, December 9, 2008, at the Sun Valley Golf Club, Antipolo. As previously agreed, Eta chapter will be hosting the event. Ticket price is at Php2,500. Tee-off time will be at 6:30am to 9:30am. Molave point system.

As in the previous golf tournaments, ticket price includes meal, golf cart pass, give-ways and raffle prizes.

In behalf of Luis Paredes, APO Golf Circuit Chairman, I am humbly appealing for our chapter’s golfers to attend and participate in this tourney. Invite your friends and business associates to join. In is very critical that we show our force considering that it is our chapter’s name that is hosting the event.

Maraming salamat,

Brod Tito

Dubbed “The Great Centennial Run,” this year’s oblation run was participated in by 100 male students who held red roses and wore gold masks as they took the 30-minute jog from Vinzons Hall to the Quezon Building where the Oblation statue stood.

True to the militant nature of the event, which is held usually in December to coincide with the Alpha Phi Omega Fraternity anniversary, the students demanded for tuition rollbacks and fair wages for university personnel.

“The oblation run is still relevant because through this we can see that matingkad pa rin ang protesta [the protest is still intense],” said Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay, an alumnus and former prime chancellor of APO fraternity.

Binay said the oblation run was proof that the state university was continuing to “breed students for nationalism.”

“UP will always be a ground for nationalism and to breed future leaders of our country,” he said.

Although the university was facing issues on tuition increases and alleged “commercialization” of education, Binay said student groups should not be hasty in making judgments.

“Hindi naman siguro [Not really],” he said but added that the issue on tuition increase should be investigated.

“Bakit kailangang magtaas ng tuition? Tutukuyin natin ang ugat ng problema [Why is there a need to increase tuition. Let us determine the root of the problem],” he said.

Binay also said the university should also undergo modernization by improving its facilities to make it at par with foreign state universities.

“Dapat suportahan ng national government ang mga state universities para maka-compete sa world standards [The national government should support state universities so that they could be at par with world standards],” he said.

Earlier on Wednesday, Terry Ridon, spokesman for the student group Serve the People-UP (STEP-UP), said what was needed was a “reversal of policies” to protect the students.

But in a separate interview with INQUIRER.net, UP President Emerlinda Roman maintained that there would be no rollbacks because the raise was not covered by the memorandum issued by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to stop tuition increases this year.

“We had ours last year so we’re not covered. I think it’s very clear. There was no directive to roll back tuition. The request was for universities not to increase tuition this year. Since we didn’t have any tuition increase this year, we’re not covered by the directive,” Roman said.

She added that the university also chose not to increase tuition this year because of UP’s centennial celebration.

“In fact, we could have increased tuition this year because the approval of the board allowed us for adjustment of tuition on inflation. But we chose not to do it this year because we’re celebrating our centennial and upon the request of our student regent,” Roman said.

UP increased their tuition from P300 to P1000 per unit in 2006.

Original Article here

A hundred naked members of the Alpha Phi Omega (APO) fraternity Wednesday held a special edition of their yearly “Oblation Run,” which they dubbed the “Centennial Run.”

“This is our fraternity’s way of honoring UP on its centennial,” said APO member Menggie Cobarrubias.

Cobarrubias, who joined APO in 1970, said the hardest part in organizing the Centennial Run was getting 100 frat men to participate in the activity.

“We had to invite ‘brods’ from other schools. We had APO members from as far as UP Los Baños who joined this activity,” he said.

<strong>Hit</strong>

The event was such a hit among students, faculty members and other spectators that it virtually outshone the other activities scheduled in the day-long celebration of the university’s 100th Foundation Day, including the fund-raising drive for the renovation of Vinzons Hall.

“Apart from the usual protests, APO’s activity is another way for students to voice out their concerns over issues confronting the university,” said Terry Ridon, UP student regent and spokesperson of Serve the People UP.

“I’m sure Malacañang will be able to watch the run and see the overwhelming call of different sectors for President Macapagal-Arroyo to step down,” Ridon said, referring to several streamers displayed on the campus bearing the President’s face and underneath it, the words, “Oust GMA.”

Three hours before the event, which began at around noon, a crowd of 2,000 had started to gather in front of Vinzons Hall where the “streakers” were expected to emerge.

<strong>Masks</strong>

The APO members then came out, gold masks on top of white T-shirts covering their faces.

Immediately, the spectators – mostly females – screamed and trained their digital cameras, video cameras and mobile phone cameras on the young men who started handing out red roses to some of the women in the crowd.

Some women were too shy to receive the flowers but others were more game, even posing for pictures with the frat men.

“I’ll keep this as a good remembrance of my experience here,” a Caucasian woman holding a rose told the Inquirer.

“I never expected it would be this exciting,” she added.

Some elderly women in the crowd gleefully cheered on the barefooted runners.

“It has been quite a while since I saw something like this,” a 55-year-old woman said with a laugh.

As the runners made their way to the Oblation statue in front of Quezon Hall, the UP administration building, other APO members served as marshals, protecting the runners from the enthusiastic crowd.

<strong>Frat brother</strong>

Older members of the fraternity led by Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay showed up at the event to support their “brods.” Binay said he was proud of his fraternity’s tradition, which started as a prank but has since evolved into a venue for airing socially-relevant slogans.

Asked if he ever took part in an Oblation Run, he replied, “No. I joined APO in 1960, way before the run started. But I would love to.”

The runners also stopped at Palma Hall before gathering at Quezon Hall, the UP administration building. They posed for photographers, sang the fraternity hymn and then left on board several vehicles.

<strong>Prank</strong>

Cobarrubias said the APO run was actually patterned after streakers in Hollywood. “We started it as a prank when the Marcos dictatorship did not allow the showing of the play, ‘Hubad na Bayani’ which starred Robert Arevalo and myself,” he said.

Five members of the fraternity that sponsored the play – a political satire on then President Ferdinand Marcos’ dictatorial rule – ran on campus with nothing but masks on.

“What used to be illegal and clandestine is now a much-awaited UP event,” he added.

In 2005, the annual run was marred by the presence of two nude women who grabbed the attention from the male streakers.

APO said they “felt insulted” by the incident, saying they do not allow women to join in the activity.

In 2000, runners called for the resignation of then President Joseph Estrada, now one of Binay’s closest friends and a political ally. <a href=”http://www.studioarsenic.com/binay”>Binay is also a member of the Alpha Phi Omega fraternity</a>.

<a href=”http://datelinecotabatocity.blogspot.com/2008/06/apo-oblation-run-steals-show-in-up.html”>Original article here</a>

<a href=”http://oblationrun.apo-phil.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/awq.jpg”><img class=”alignnone size-medium wp-image-16″ title=”awq” src=”http://oblationrun.apo-phil.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/awq-300×204.jpg” alt=”" width=”399″ height=”271″ /></a>

photos courtesy of  <a href=”http://swofhous.blogspot.com/”>http://swofhous.blogspot.com/</a>