Wednesday, December 20, 2006 Peace threatened by conflict within one organization
THE peace process between two warring fraternities in Cebu may unravel, according to a former fraternity officer, as conflict in one of the organizations has been brewing for months.
Luis Alviar Jr., former Cebu chapter president of Alpha Kappa Rho (Akrho), said he had to resign as representative to the peace process because of differences of principle among the officers.
He said he became unpopular with leaders when he wanted to submit to Cebu Provincial Police Office Director Vicente Loot the complete organizational chart with a list of names corresponding to their position.
He particularly pointed to Akrho Visayas president Richard Buscaino and Akrho Cebu president Gilbert Caballero.
Asked what the national officers think about the rift, he said they left it to Cebu officers to settle the matter first.
Buscaino, for his part, said there is no faction within the fraternity.
“Wala namang faction kasi nag-iisa lang siya. Sino bang kasama niya sa press con, di ba siya lang (There is no faction. Who was with him during the press con? Alviar was alone),” he said.
Buscaino cautioned against believing Alviar, saying the latter is confused.
Menace
He said the latter’s move will not affect their peace process with Tau Gamma Phi.
“Wala man siya’y labot ana (He plays no part in the peace process),” he told Sun.Star Cebu.
The long-running rivalry between Akrho and Tau Gamma has resulted in shootings, stabbings and other violent clashes that have claimed lives from both fraternities and civilians.
They have been described as a menace to society.
Local leaders and police officials and even Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal have tried to broker a peace pact between the two groups. The peace covenant between the two groups is being ironed out with the help of Loot and Capitol officials.
Buscaino said Alviar was already suspended because of several internal violations before “peace talks” began.
Asked what these violations were, he said most of them were internal.
However, he cited an instance wherein Alviar showed a hazing ritual to a Manila television crew and spoke for the group. “We don’t have hazing rites. It’s not true,” Buscaino said.
He added that expulsion proceedings against Alviar are already ongoing.
But Alviar questioned the legality of his suspension, saying he was not given due process.
“Dili ko nila mailad anang constitution kay ako ang nagbuhat ana sa una (They can’t fool me with our constitution since I was the one who came up with it),” he said.
He admitted that his move will hurt the organization, but he said he only wanted to air the division so others in the group could hear his side.
As for granting the interview to a Manila news crew, he said he was speaking as an individual and did not speak in behalf of the fraternity.
He admitted talking to some Tau Gamma members but said this did not mean he was moving to the other fraternity.
“It’s only natural to communicate with the other side if you want to achieve peace. How can there be peace if you don’t communicate?” he said in Cebuano.
Alviar said many Akrho members are willing to support him because they want lasting peace with Tau Gamma. (MEA)
