BY AARON RECUENCO
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A new female cadet of the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) died on Saturday inside the campus in Silang, Cavite, the second death recorded from the roster of new members of the Cadet Corps of the Academy in just a span of three days.
The incident has prompted PNP Chief General Archie Francisco Gamboa to suspend all the activities for new cadets of the PNPA until interventions are done in order to prevent the repeat of similar incident in the future.
“All activities for the members of the PNPA Class of 2024 will be suspended until further evaluation and assessment,” said Gamboa.
Based on the report from the PNPA headed by Maj. Gen. Jose Chiquito Malayo, Cadet Fourth Class Jiary Jasen Papa collapsed apparently due to electrolyte imbalance or hypokalemia, or low potassium intake.
“According to Cadet Fourth Class Jiary Jasen Papa’s logbook, she requested permission to go to the comfort room at 2:30 a.m. and later went back to sleep. After an hour, she woke up to prepare for early morning activity but suddenly collapsed beside her bunks,” said Malayo.
She was immediately taken to the Academy Health Service by duty cadets to give first aid and later transferred to the Qualimed Hospital in Sta Rosa, Laguna for full medical attention.
Papa was declared dead by an attending physician at 4:34 a.m.
Malayo said the parents of papa were already informed about the incident.
He assured that the family will receive financial assistance due to new members of the PNPA Cadetship Program, including insurance protection and benefits from the Public Safety Mutual Benefit Fund, Inc (PSMBFI).
“The Academy Health Service also noted that the cadaver will undergo swab test of COVID-19 infection as part of health protocols,” said Malayo.
On Wednesday, Papa’s classmate Cadet Fourth Class Kenneth Ross Alvarado, also died, with doctors saying he died of heat stroke.
