A plebe of the Philippine Military Academy died of “blunt force trauma” with technical investigation from the police saying it was due to hazing, the military and police confirmed yesterday.
Cadet Fourth Class Darwin Dormitorio, a native of Cagayan de Oro City, was found unconscious in his barracks at the academy and taken to Fort del Pilar Hospital in Baguio City on Sept. 17, where he was pronounced dead on arrival, the PMA said in a statement. The Philippine National Police Cordillera Administrative Region said that Dormitorio died on Wednesday.
The PMA revealed that post-mortem autopsy findings ruled Dormitorio died of blunt force trauma.
However, Police Brig. Gen. Ephraim Dickson, Cordillera police chief, confirmed that Dormitorio died of hazing, as per the report of Baguio police medico-legal. “Yes (hazing as cause of death). Mayroon siyang tama sa sikmura, sa puson area,” he said.
The PRO-CAR director said Dormitorio also suffered from internal bleeding.
He added that the victim could have been repeatedly kicked and punched by the assailants since the use of a blunt instrument has already been ruled out. “Per our medico legal, ang report ay parang walang ginamit na instrument, suspected puwedeng nasuntok o nasipa,” he said.
Ephraim also said they have yet to determine whether or not Dormitorio was electrocuted as claimed by the victim’s relatives. “Subject for evaluation ng ating medico legal ‘yan kasi sila makakapagsabi kung merong ganyan. As far as I know, ito lang ang nakarecord na contusions at aberrations,” he said.
At least three upperclassmen of Dormitorio have been placed under PMA restrictive custody at the barracks and treated now as persons of interest. Two of the persons of interest are third class cadets or second years while the other one is a first class cadet or fourth year.
“At this point in time, nasa custodial investigation or restrictive custody sila ng pamunuan ng PMA at subjected for administrative evaluation or investigation,” Ephraim said.
PMA superintendent Lt. Gen. Ronnie Evangelista assured that they are coordinating with authorities in the investigation.
“From the very start, PMA has openly coordinated with the authorities to ensure fair, objective, and transparent investigation and directed all persons of interest to make themselves available to the different standard and parallel investigations,” Evangelista added.
Evangelista said the PMA will file appropriate administrative charges and shall apply sanctions to all those who are found guilty in the death of Dormitorio.
Hazing rites have long been banned in military and police training institutions, although authorities continue to fail to completely ensure that such acts will not be carried out.
In August 2018, nine cadets from the PNP Academy in Cavite were ordered dismissed in connection with the mauling of six new graduates of the PNPA Maragtas Class of 2018 inside their barracks. It was later revealed in a police probe that the dismissed cadets were victims of hazing by their upperclassmen and held a grudge against them, leading to the mauling incident. (Martin Sadongdong, Hanah Tabios, and Zaldy Comanda)