Twenty-year old Cris Hugo was a small – only 4’11” tall – and humble person who led an exemplary life. He fearlessly fought for quality education and students’ rights – until bullets felled him last March 19.

BY LINO D. INTERINO III
Bulatlat

I was aghast when my Bulatlat editor sent me a text message on Monday, asking if I could write something about the slain student leader from Bicol University. I then was in our province talking with my friends and taking a not so grand vacation while fixing my requirements for graduation.

“I’ll try to make a story about him. I don’t know the person,” I replied.

At about 6:30 p.m. of the same day, a friend sent a text message: “PLEASE PRAY FOR CRIS HUGO, A FOURTH YEAR JOURNALISM STUDENT OF BUCAL (Bicol University College of Arts and Letters). HE WAS SHOT DEAD LAST NIGHT AT WASHINGTON DRIVE. MAY HIS SOUL REST IN PEACE. PLEASE PASS GUYS.” Suddenly, it was difficult to breathe. I couldn’t believe that Cris was gone, that he was the student leader I was supposed to write about, until another similar text message came.

Cris, 20, was a student leader at BU’s College of Arts and Letters (BUCAL). He was regional coordinator and national council member of the League of Filipino Students (LFS). He was also the newly elected Grand Chancellor of the Alpha Phi Omega (APO Fraternity) chapter at BU.

Cris was a classmate during my freshman year at the Institute of Communication and Cultural Studies (now CAL) in BU. I could not believe that he died in such a brutal way. He was a small – only 4’11” tall – and humble person who led an exemplary life, fighting for quality education and students’ rights. Nobody could have foreseen that he would be killed so violently.

Gremil Naz, a BUCAL professor, recalled how the murder took place on March 19 at Washington Drive, Bagumbayan (village), Legazpi City:

“Kausap ko si Cris habang naglalakad kami nang bigla akong nakarinig ng putok. Paglingon ko, nakahandusay na siya. (Cris and I were talking while walking, when I suddenly heard a gunshot. When I turned to him, he was already sprawled on the ground).”

Naz could not identify the gunmen because it was dark and he was slightly drunk. He ran to the Legazpi City Police Station to report the attack and Cris was rushed to the Bicol Regional Training and Teaching Hospital (BRTTH). He was dead on arrival.

Cris was the first youth leader to be killed in the spate of political killings this year.

Fighting Spirit

In spite of being the smallest in class, he proved that he could beat all odds. Even as a freshman, he had shown a fighting spirit.

In the first semester, he joined the Alpha Phi Omega fraternity. I was amazed at how he endured the trials of being a neophyte. I could not believe how this small guy, who seemed to be fragile, could have possibly passed the initiations.

Every time there were rallies, Cris was always visible. He would ask the students to join and fight for their aspirations.

Dan Orense, Cris’ mentor and fraternity brother, described him as “college student na parang Grade 6 (a college student who looked like a sixth-grade pupil.) Mabait na tao si Cris. A typical homegrown person pero malalim. (Cris is a kind person, a typical home-grown person but he was deep),” he said.

His colleagues from LFS and his other organizations said that despite having a small build, Cris had a big-enough conviction to fight for the students’ welfare.