The University of the Philippines Law Student Government (UP LSG) condemned homophobic, misogynistic, and sexist remarks directed at members of its community in the recent screenshots of messages allegedly coming from members of the Alpha Phi Beta Fraternity.
The remarks circulating online also allegedly included threats of violence and coercion in the context of recruitment.
The UP LSG called on Alpha Phi Beta to publicly address the circulating screenshots and show accountability.
In a statement, the law student government said it would not tolerate homophobia, misogyny, sexism, and violence.
“The UP LSG strongly condemns these acts and the attitudes they reflect; such conducts demean students and perpetrate hostility, specifically towards women and members of the LGBTQIA+ community. The use of threats, intimidation, or violence to compel compliance is likewise in contradiction with the dignity, safety, and autonomy that every member of the UP Law community is entitled to,” it said in a statement.
It said using derogatory terms to label members of the LGBTQIA+ community is not clever word play or harmless humor and normalizes homophobia and discrimination.
“The private character of conversations that exposed these acts neither erases their harm nor excuses those who participated in them,” it said.
It also slammed the rating and ranking of women based on their appearance, behavior, affiliation, or socio-economic status, which reduces them to objects and reinforce class and sexist prejudice.
The UP LSG further warned that the threats of violence in the messages in relation to recruitment cannot be excused as jokes or part of the group’s internal culture, as they point to an abuse of power.
“No recruitment practice or exercise of authority can justify intimidation, coercion, or violence,” it said.
It called for accountability without unnecessarily exposing individuals to further public scrutiny or harm.
It also urged the college administration to provide channels through which students may seek assistance without retaliation and exposure, and to pursue measures to address discrimination and violence on campus.