Tau Gamma Phi

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. 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. Originally known as the Order of the U.P. Triskelions, the organization later adopted the Greek-letter name Tau Gamma Phi.

In 1969, the fraternity established a chapter at the Philippine Maritime Institute. This was followed in 1970 by chapters at FEATI University, Mapúa Institute of Technology, and National University, in 1971 with a chapter at University of Santo Tomas, and in 1973 with chapters at Adamson University and the National College of Business Administration.

When martial law was declared on September 21, 1972, by the late Philippine President Ferdinand 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.

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 Junior Triskelions) founded at San Beda College–High School on February 7, 1974.

The fraternity celebrated its 45th founding anniversary in 2013, with President Benigno Aquino III offering an official message of congratulations to the organization.

Symbols

The fraternity's color are gold and black. Its symbol is the Triskelion. Its pillar are ''Fortis Voluntas Fraternitas'' (Strength, Freewill and Brotherhood).

Chapters

Controversies

Hazing

Although the fraternity has released a public statement declaring the organization has a "no hazing" policy, several hazing deaths directly linked to the fraternity have been reported since 2006.

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." 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. Still, three further hazing deaths have been reported since then.

List of confirmed hazing deaths

According to the ABS-CBN Investigative and Research Group, Tau Gamma Phi has the highest number of recorded hazing deaths among all Filipino fraternities, with 18 deaths as of October 16, 2023.

Rivalry with Alpha Phi Omega

Tau Gamma Phi has been involved in several fatal clashes with long-standing rival fraternity Alpha Phi Omega:

• On August 30, 1977, UP Diliman student and APO member Rolando Abad was killed in a clash with rival members of Tau Gamma Phi.
• On February 21, 1994, Central Colleges of the Philippines (CCP) student Fernando Obrino, a member of Tau Gamma Phi, died at St. Luke's Medical Center after being mauled by four members of APO (also students of CCP) in Cubao, Quezon City.
• 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 Scouts Royale Brotherhood, which police identified as the youth arm of Alpha Phi Omega. Witnesses reported four gunmen, who identified as members of Tau Gamma Phi, threatening the younger members before shooting De Guzman three times in the face.
• 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. On November 9, 2010 then-justice secretary Leila de Lima tagged APO as the culprit in the grenade attack.
• 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.

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. One member of Alpha Phi Omega was indicted for the crime.

Rivalry with Alpha Kappa Rho

Since 1990, Tau Gamma Phi's rivalry with Alpha Kappa Rho, 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, in 2005 by the Cebu provincial government, and in 2006 by the Cebu Provincial Police Office.

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.
• 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. Prior to the shooting, Tau Gamma Phi members were allegedly warned AKRHO were planning to kill someone as halad (sacrifice) for their anniversary on August 8.
• On August 28, 2005, a Tau Gamma Phi member was shot by a fugitive AKRHO member in Cebu City.
• 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. Because the shooting coincided with Tau Gamma Phi's anniversary, police believe that it was in retaliation of a 2006 shooting incident that killed an AKRHO member during their anniversary celebrations.
• On June 5, 2022, Tau Gamma Phi fratmen shot and wounded a member of AKRHO after an altercation between the groups in Minglanilla, Cebu.

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.

Notable members

• Alvin Aguilar – martial artist and founder of DEFTAC Philippines
• Raymond Almazan – professional basketball player for the Meralco Bolts
• Bong Alvarez – retired professional basketball player
• Jobert Austria – actor and comedian
• Nathan Azarcon – musician and founding member of Rivermaya and Bamboo
• John Riel Casimero – professional boxer
• JM de Guzman – actor, model, and singer
• JC Intal – former professional basketball player
• Pancho Magno – television actor
• Jiro Manio – film and television actor
• Luis Manzano – host, actor, comedian, VJ, and model
• Jao Mapa – film and television actor and painter
• Eumir Marcial – Olympic-medal winning boxer
• Joseph Marco – actor, model and singer
• Lito Mayo – graphic artist and printmaker
• Buwi Meneses – bassist for Parokya ni Edgar and formerly for Franco
• Vhong Navarro – comedian, actor, dancer, recording artist, and television host
• Victor Neri – actor, singer, and chef
• Diether Ocampo – actor, singer, model, and military officer
• RJ Padilla – film and television actor
• Ion Perez – actor, model, and television host
• Vandolph Quizon – actor, comedian and councilor of the 1st district of Parañaque
• Ralph G. Recto – former senator and current representative of the 6th district of Batangas
• Oyo Boy Sotto – film and television actor
• Jose "Bong" Teves Jr. – Deputy Majority Leader of the House of Representatives
• TJ Trinidad – film and television actor
• Joel Villanueva – incumbent senator

See also

• Tau Gamma Sigma
• List of fraternities and sororities in the Philippines

References