2 UP law students beaten up at off-campus lecture

MANILA, Philippines - Two law students of the University of the Philippines (UP) in Diliman were beaten with lead pipes by four men who barged into a restaurant where the victims were attending an off-campus lecture in Quezon City Thursday night.

Senior Police Officer 2 Artemio Caducio said Eric Pasion, 25, sustained injuries on his head and shoulders while Francis Alvin Asilo, 24, suffered bruises after he was hit by a laptop thrown at him by one of their attackers.

Both students were brought to the Quirino Memorial Medical Center but were immediately released after treatment.

Witness Mark Titus Cebreros told police that Pasion and Asilo are members of the Upsilon Sigma Phi fraternity. Police said other witnesses said the attackers were allegedly from the Sigma Rho fraternity, but added that this was not conclusive.

The attackers remain unidentified largely because “the victims refused to cooperate,” Caducio told The STAR. He said it was impossible that the two did not know their attackers because the attackers apparently knew who they were after.

Police said Pasion and Asilo were with a group of 10 attending an off-campus lecture conducted by lawyer Glenda Litong at a function room of a restaurant on Katipunan Avenue at around 6:30 p.m. Thursday when the attack happened.

Caducio said he is set to talk with UP authorities on Monday. He said they received reports that animosity among rival fraternities in the campus has been brewing since classes began.

Concerned UP authorities could not be immediately reached for comment.