Lest We Forget. We Must Remember.

Written on Wednesday, August 27th, 2008 at 6:53 pm | by The Jester-in-Exile

Monday, August 27, 2007, 1:08 AM. A group of unidentified young men dump a battered and bruised young man at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center. The doctors declare the young man dead on arrival.

His name was Cris Anthony Mendez.

Mendez died from traumatic injuries, sustaining at least 10 hematomas, according to a medico-legal report of the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) crime laboratory. The autopsy findings showed that the 20-year-old graduating public administration student had bruises on both sides of his chest, knees, and thighs, and the largest bruises were found on both of his arms and measured at least 50 centimeters each, among them a bruise on his shoulder which extended to his shoulder blade. Blood clotting was also noted near his spine or on his vertebral region.

There was a modicum of public reaction; if one goes by the behavior of the blogosphere, there was a demand for accountability. Mainstream media reacted by providing special reports on Mendez’s death.

Some time afterward, members of the University of the Philippines College of Law-based fraternity Sigma Rho, of whom reports say Mendez was a neophyte, were charged with involvement in his death.

Fast forward.

Wednesday, August 27, 2008. Just before the day has ended. The question is asked on the anniversary of the death of Cris Anthony Mendez, allegedly by members of the Sigma Rho fraternity: Has justice prevailed?

Not yet.

The death is still unavenged. There is yet no justice for Cris Anthony Mendez.

There is yet the responsibility of those of who still live to demand justice for he who no longer does, from they who have taken CA’s life.

Lest we forget.

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About The Author: The Jester-in-Exile is an engineer by training and profession turned law student, and he writes of the Philippines because of his love for it. He blogs at The Journal of The Jester-in-Exile, and can often be found daydreaming about giving Robespierre haircuts to corrupt officials.

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Comments

5 Responses to “Lest We Forget. We Must Remember.”

  1. Nick on August 28th, 2008 12:14 pm

    You know Jester, I failed to write about CA on this anniversary, but I most definitely remember.

    Many Senators and Alums paid great lip service towards “justice”, but as we feared, it was just that.

    Justice for CA, his friends, his colleagues are heading that fight.. We can do our part by reminding others that the fight is still ongoing.

    On a related note: what has happened? Not being on the ground, I am not sure what has happened to those who were involved.. And I’m sure you’re not surprised, that MSM, with such penchant for “caring”, and with the resources to have at least done some investigative work and update on this specific case, has failed to materialize such a piece.

  2. the jester-in-exile on August 29th, 2008 8:21 am

    And I’m sure you’re not surprised, that MSM, with such penchant for “caring”, and with the resources to have at least done some investigative work and update on this specific case, has failed to materialize such a piece.

    secondhand information given to me quotes an MSM practitioner saying that MSM isn’t interested in developments; pretty much as if it was “he’s dead, nothing will happen about this issue, so why bother?”

    give it a several more months of quiet, and then you’ll see MSM reporting on the next death by hazing, the next special report on hazing, lalalalalala.

    i think i’ll go ahead and accuse MSM of being contributory to the culture of impunity, by not following through on what they start, by leaving stories in the lurch in favor of the next lurid, sensational headline.

  3. Ding Gagelonia on August 29th, 2008 9:55 am

    Jester,
    Thank you for bringing this issue back. Your post is a stark reminder, nay, an indictment how not only our (in)injustice system does not work. Much the same for the continued disappearance of Jonas Burgos. CA and Jonas were circumstances apart but they are both victims of the same society.

  4. Bencard on August 30th, 2008 2:02 am

    seemingly related to this thread is the disturbing news of a group of “militant” students at pup who “mauled” certain individuals they suspect of being “government agents”. what??? is pup ( a government funded institution of learning) now a sacred fortress of the anti-government rabblerousers and has become verboten to law enforcement agents? who gave these self-righteous trouble-makers the right to put the law in their own hands - with the apparent connivance of the school administration - and lay hands on apparent agents of the law? even the police swat team dispatched to restore order was “prevented” from doing their job.

    i say, arrest all these so-called students, prosecute and punish them to the full extent of the law. if necessary, put them away on an escape-proof uninhabited island and make them fend for themselves by growing their own food and catching their own fish. as to pup and all other rebel-infested government schools, padlock them and throw away the keys for good. better still, burn them.

  5. Bencard on August 31st, 2008 12:36 am

    i suggest that the law enforcers list the names of all these so-called students and make it public. it will serve as a notice to all prospective employers, business associates, foreign embassies (in case they attempt to immigrate) of the dangerous tendencies of these misguided individuals. btw, i put the bigger blame on the “teachers” who indoctrinated these hooligans and received remunerations from the government for their lessons from hell.

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