TWO more cadets at the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) have been confined in a hospital due to injuries sustained from possible maltreatment, a military official said on Monday, September 23.
"Two other Fourth Class cadets from the PMA are now confined at a military hospital, one of them was admitted on September 17 and the other was admitted on September 21," Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesperson Brigadier General Edgard Arevalo said in a press conference in Camp Aguinaldo.
"Both incidents sadly are suspected to be maltreatment cases," he added.
He said the two were both complaining of abdominal pain, just like Cadet Fourth Class Darwin Dormitorio who died on September 18 of cardiac arrest secondary to internal hemorrhage caused by hazing.
Authorities are preparing charges against three cadets, two from Third Class and one from First Class, who allegedly perpetrated the maltreatment which resulted in the victim's death.
Other cadets who, according to PMA spokesman Major Reynan Afan were indirectly involved in the incident, were on restrictive confinement in the institution.
He said there were at least eight witnesses.
Afan said two PMA officials have already been relieved from post pending the investigation on the incident.
"Yes, the senior tactical officer and the tactical officer of Cadet Fourth Class Dormitorio, na-relieve na po sila," he said.
"They are the ground commanders sa company level. Sila 'yung na-relieve for us to have a better or impartial investigation po," he added.
For his part, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said he visited the wake of Dormitorio at the PMA where he also had the chance to talk to his classmate and other cadet corps and encourage them to cooperate in the investigation.
“I reminded them that anybody who does not report or who have knowledge of maltreatment are as guilty as perpetrators,” he said.
He also said he wanted the plebes to undergo physical examination to determine whether they have bruises and to make those responsible accountable.
Lorenzana, a member of the PMA class of 1973, said there was no harsh beating during their time at the academy.
“Dumaan naman ako sa ganyan. Hindi nangyari sa amin ‘yan. Sa klase namin hindi naman ganyan katindi,” he said.
“Pwede naman pahirapan, hindi sinusuntok at sinisipa. Do push-ups, squat thrusts, running. ‘Yun ang pag mold ng physical, hindi ‘yung kuryentehin, or dinudukot tuwing gabi para hindi makatulog. Those are hazing already,” he added.
Former AFP chief of staff now Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año, whose wife is a relative of Dormitorio, assured that there will be no cover-up in the investigation on the victim’s killing.
“I gave instructions to the Philippine National Police Cordillera that no cover-up and that everybody who is liable, criminally and administratively, should be charged and given appropriate disciplinary action,” Año said in a press conference in Camp Crame.
“I believe walang magiging cover-up or whitewash diyan. ‘Yung kadete, they are now reviewing the system paano i-empower ‘yung mga fourth year. Sila dapat nagbabantay diyan ng hazing,” he added.
Meanwhile, PNP Chief Oscar Albayalde who is a member of the PMA class of 1986 admitted that he also underwent hazing and that it was a part of his past that made him what he is now.
However, he was also quick to say that such practice should not be tolerated.
“I will be lying kung sabihin kong hindi ako na-haze. I’m sure you know my squad leader. He molded me into who I am now. Tanong niyo sa kaniya paano ako na-haze but I have nothing against him,” Albayalde said.
“No, of course. Even before... let me assure the public, even before po, hazing was never tolerated especially now we have hazing law. We are not encouraging hazing. Never did we encourage hazing, even sabi ko nga during the early years. Hazing is taboo sa PMA,” he added. (SunStar Philippines)