Tau Gamma Phi (ΤΓΦ), also known as Triskelions’ Grand Fraternity, is a fraternity established in the Philippines. Its members call themselves Triskelions.
Tau Gamma Phi is one of the largest fraternities in the Philippines in terms of membership.[1] It has a sister sorority, Tau Gamma Sigma (ΤΓΣ), also known as the Triskelions' Grand Sorority.
History
The fraternity was founded on October 4, 1968, by students from the University of the Philippines Diliman.[2] Initially known as the "Order of the U.P. Triskelions", the organization later on changed its name to the "Order of the Grand Triskelions", then later "Triskelions Grand Fraternity" which was then changed into the Greek letter name Tau Gamma Phi, in line with other student fraternities.[3]
When martial law was declared on September 21, 1972 by PresidentFerdinand Marcos, some university organizations including Tau Gamma Phi became targets of military harassment, believing that these school organizations posed a threat to the Marcos regime.[citation needed]
With martial law hindering most of its activities, the fraternity faced a decline in recruitment. In 1975, the fraternity explored the idea of including younger members. Recruitment began in the high school sector with the Junior Tau Gamma Phi (also known as the Triskelion Youth Movement) founded at San Beda College–High School on February 7, 1974.[5]
The fraternity celebrated its 45th founding anniversary in 2013, with President Benigno Aquino III offering an official message of congratulations to the organization.[6]
Symbols
The fraternity's colors are gold which represents "light" and black which represents "darkness". Its symbol is the Triskelion. Its pillars are ''Fortis Voluntas Fraternitas'' (Strength, Freewill and Brotherhood).
Although the fraternity has released a public statement declaring the organization has a "no hazing" policy, several hazing deaths allegedly linked to the fraternity have been reported.[7]
In a 2012 interview, Tau Gamma Phi founder Vedasto “Tito” Venida condemned the fraternity's practice of hazing, adding that the organization has already "taken so many innocent lives."[2] In 2015, after the hazing death of a Western Mindanao State University student, the fraternity released a statement calling on all chapters to abide by their fraternity motto Primum Nil Nocere or "First, Do No Harm" and commit to avoid violence related to hazing.[8] Despite the appeal, at least seven more hazing deaths have been reported since then.[9][10][11]
According to the ABS-CBN Investigative and Research Group, Tau Gamma Phi has the highest number of recorded hazing deaths among all Filipino fraternities,[12] with 19 deaths as of September 30, 2024.
On October 24, 2004, police found the body of 33-year-old Ronaldo De Guzman on a bench outside National University in Manila. De Guzman was an elder of the Scouts Royale Brotherhood, which police identified as the youth arm of Alpha Phi Omega. Witnesses reported four gunmen, who were identified as members of Tau Gamma Phi, threatening the younger members before shooting De Guzman three times in the face.[38]
On March 20, 2008, a grenade targeting members of Tau Gamma Phi exploded in front of La Consolacion College Manila, leaving 22 people injured. Police blamed fraternity rivalry as the motive behind the explosion, but initially refused to identify the perpetrators' organization.[39] On November 9, 2010, then-justice secretary Leila de Lima tagged APO as the culprit in the grenade attack.[40]
On December 18, 2009, San Sebastian College student and APO member Cromwell Duka, Jr. was fatally stabbed in the school cafeteria by fellow student Efrain Lim, a member of Tau Gamma Phi.[41]
Police investigators also believe that Tau Gamma Phi members were the intended targets of the grenade that exploded in the 2010 Philippine Bar exam bombing, that injured 47 people.[42] One member of Alpha Phi Omega was indicted for the crime.[43][44]
Rivalry with Alpha Kappa Rho
Since 1990, Tau Gamma Phi's rivalry with Alpha Kappa Rho (AKRHO), particularly in Cebu, has escalated to the point where police and local government officials have intervened and organized peace talks several times between the two fraternities: in 2002 by the Cebu City government,[45] in 2005 by the Cebu provincial government,[46] and in 2006 by the Cebu Provincial Police Office.[47]
Documented cases of clashes and killings between the two fraternities include the following:
In 2003, the provincial vice president of AKRHO was murdered by alleged Tau Gamma Phi members along Sanciangko Street in Cebu City. Tau Gamma chapter president Jayber Oyon-Oyon was arrested in suspicion of the murder.[48]
On August 6, 2005, a Tau Gamma Phi chapter president was shot and killed by an unknown assailant in Lapu-Lapu City. Police tagged fraternity rivalry with AKRHO as the primary motive for the killing. Before the shooting, Tau Gamma Phi members were allegedly warned AKRHO was planning to kill someone as halad (sacrifice) for their anniversary on August 8.[49]
On August 28, 2005, a Tau Gamma Phi member was shot by a fugitive AKRHO member in Cebu City.[50]
On October 4, 2007, several alleged members of Tau Gamma Phi were killed and wounded in a drive-by shooting perpetrated by Aristotle Aves, whom the Cebu police have tagged as an AKRHO hitman.[51] Because the shooting coincided with Tau Gamma Phi's anniversary, police believe that it was in retaliation for a 2006 shooting incident that killed an AKRHO member during their anniversary celebrations.[52]
On June 5, 2022, Tau Gamma Phi fratmen shot and wounded a member of AKRHO after an altercation between the groups in Minglanilla, Cebu.[53]
Several other cases of Tau Gamma Phi and AKRHO members being murdered in Cebu have been documented, however, the identity of the perpetrators and motive could not be positively identified or have been intentionally withheld.[54][55][56][57][58]
^ abServallos, Ed Amoroso,Neil Jayson. "Student dies from 'hazing'". Philstar.com. Retrieved February 9, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
.jpg)
