MANILA, Philippines – Students at the University of the Philippines (UP) in Quezon City lit candles over the weekend to remember the “senseless” deaths of fellow students allegedly because of fraternity violence.

“We cannot remember Cris Mendez and all the others who have reportedly died of hazing-related activities without outrage in our hearts,” said Tin de Villa, of the UP Alyansa, an alliance of student organizations against fraternity aggression.

On Sunday evening, the group lit 100 candles in front of the Oblation statue on the Diliman campus against a backdrop of signs calling for justice for Marlon Villanueva, Den Daniel Reyes, Nino Calinao, Alex Icasiano, Mark Ronald Martin and Dennis Venturina. Mendez, the latest on the list, was a public administration student who died on Aug. 27, allegedly a hazing victim.

What has been more alarming, Alyansa said, were efforts to delay the administration of justice. It cited a temporary restraining order filed with the Quezon City Regional Trial Court allegedly to halt the UP Student Disciplinary Tribunal from conducting an investigation.

“We see this act as a blatant display of indifference in attaining justice,” Alyansa said. “It appears the accused are more interested in saving their own skins and delaying administrative processes.”