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UP frat in hot water over discriminatory, misogynistic conversations

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ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2017/news/04/19/uphilippines-oblation-041917.jpg"/><figcaption>The Oblation at the University of the Philippines Diliman Campus. File</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA - A fraternity based in the University of the Philippines is in hot water again after misogynistic conversations of some of its supposed members were leaked online.Screenshots of conversations attributed to members of the Upsilon Sigma Phi fraternity have gone viral for misogynistic, homophobic, and Islamophobic content.The conversations became viral just days after Upsilon celebrated its centennial year. UP President Danilo Concepcion on Friday condemned the conversations as &quot;reprehensible and totally unacceptable in our community.&quot;&quot;Such flagrant misogyny has no place in a university dedicated to the highest ideals and the practice of gender equality and human rights,&quot; Concepcion, also an Upsilon member, said.&quot;They do not represent what we have stood for all these years, as they bring us back to the darkness rather than the light,&quot; he added.It can be recalled that earlier this month, Upsilon was <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/15/18/up-eyes-filing-charges-vs-frat-members-involved-in-brawl">reported</a> to have been involved in two &quot;violent&quot; incidents along with the Alpha Phi Beta fraternity.Concepcion also gave the assurance that he would not protect any of his fraternity brothers who would be found responsible for the conversations.&quot;We will not tolerate misogyny, sexual harassment, and bullying or any form of violence against women and other groups in this University, and any such offenses will be dealt with to the full extent of our judicial and administrative remedies,&quot; he said.Concepcion has also ordered all chancellors of different UP campuses to require members of all new and renewing student organizations to undergo gender sensitivity training.<div>UPSILON TO CONDUCT OWN PROBE</div>Upsilon, meanwhile, said it would conduct its own investigation into the viral conversations and made the assurance that it would cooperate with the UP administration.The said fraternity, however, was silent on whether or not the conversations were really by their members. It instead appealed for sobriety.&quot;We sincerely empathize with everyone affected by the postings. This is why, during the conduct of the investigation, we appeal for sobriety. We wish not to further aggravate any harm that may have been caused by the postings,&quot; Upsilon said in a statement.&quot;The student members of the Fraternity take these accusations very seriously and will not tolerate members espousing such backward, misogynistic, and discriminatory views,&quot; it added.<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2018/news/11/23/upsilon-statement-(1).jpg"/></figure></div>Upsilon also noted that it is &quot;unfortunate&quot; that the conversations became viral just after it celebrated its centennial anniversary and alleged that there is an effort to ruin the fraternity&#x27;s name.&quot;It appears that there is a concerted effort to besmirch the reputation of our Fraternity during this momentous celebration,&quot; it said.The fraternity added that its student-members &quot;strongly condemn all acts of discrimination.&quot;&quot;Many student leaders who are members of our Fraternity have time and again led and worked with organizations and individuals to fight for equality. We will continue to do so because this is what we stand for,&quot; Upsilon said.

The conversations became viral just days after Upsilon celebrated its centennial year.

The conversations became viral just days after Upsilon celebrated its centennial year.