Charges filed vs fratmen in ‘Bar brawl’

Fraternity members allegedly belonging to the Aquila Legis and the Fraternal Order of Utopia traded blows after the final installment of the Bar exams at the University of Sto. Tomas in Manila Sunday, Oct. 26, 2014. Manila police have since filed charges against those involved in the fistfight. Video by Cathy Miranda/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines – The Manila Police have filed charges against two fraternity members who were arrested after engaging in a fistfight during the traditional “Salubong” which marked the last day of the 2014 Bar examinations Sunday.

The police identified the two fraternity members as James Francis Villanueva and Jason Cabrera of the Ateneo Law School and Arellano University, respectively.

Police Superintendent Mannan Muarip, station commander of Manila Police Station 4, said that they filed alarm and scandal charges against the two who were involved in the fistfight, along with other members of Aquila Legis fraternity and the Fraternal Order of Utopia.

Villanueva, 24, is a fourth year Ateneo de Manila Law School student and is a member of Utopia, while Cabrera, 28, a fourth year Arellano University Law School student, is a former Ateneo Law School student and still a member of the Aquila Legis fraternity. Both fraternities are based at the in Ateneo.

Villanueva and Cabrera underwent inquest proceedings Monday, a day after they were arrested.

Members of the two fraternities got into a brawl after both camps allegedly hurled insults against each other while waiting for the bar examinees to finish.

Both fraternities declined to comment on the incident.

INQUIRER.net contacted the two schools for their statements regarding the incident.

A representative from the Office of the Dean of Ateneo Law School who was not authorized to speak on behalf of the school told INQUIRER.net in a phone interview that the Aquila Legis and Utopia fraternities are not officially recognized by the school.

Meanwhile, a representative from the Arellano University Law School dean’s office said that the school could not confirm if Cabrera is their student. They also refused to comment on the brawl as they have not yet received a report on the incident.

Fraternity members allegedly belonging to the Aquila Legis and the Fraternal Order of Utopia traded blows after the final installment of the Bar exams at the University of Sto. Tomas in Manila Sunday, Oct. 26, 2014. Manila police have since filed charges against those involved in the fistfight. Cathy Miranda/INQUIRER.net

Originally posted at 12:28 pm | Tuesday, October 28, 2014

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