Another batchmate of hazing victim Cadet 4th Class Darwin Dormitorio at the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) was hospitalized allegedly after being maltreated, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said Tuesday night.
Brigadier General Edgard Arevalo, AFP spokesperson, said the victim, also a cadet fourth class or first year, was sent to V. Luna Hospital in Quezon City on Monday.
Arevalo said the victim initially complained of stomach ache which doctors said was due to gastroenteritis.
However, when the student returned to the hospital due to same complications, Arevalo said: “Nakitaan na siya ng markings.”
This came just as Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana ordered the PMA management to conduct a physical examination on all first year cadets.
The latest victim is the third batchmate of Dormitorio who has been hospitalized due to alleged maltreatment.
Prior to this, a plebe was sent to the hospital on September 17 while another on September 21 also due to alleged maltreatment.
All three cadets were still at the hospital but Arevalo said they were already in a stable condition.
Arevalo said they were verifying if the fresh cases were related to the hazing death of Dormitorio.
Dormitorio died on September 18 after suffering from stomach pain and vomiting.
PMA officials and police later said he died due to hazing.
This led to the resignation of Lt. Gen. Ronnie Evangelista as superintendent of the PMA and Brigadier General Bartolome Vicente Bacarro as commandant of cadets.
Four upperclassmen of Dormitorio were dismissed from the service, three of them are facing criminal cases.
Two other cadets were suspended, one was meted with a Class 1 punishment, and four academy officials were relieved from their posts because of the incident. (Martin A. Sadongdong)