By AARON RECUENCO
The Philippine Military Academy (PMA) has confined at least five of its cadets who were seen maltreating what appears to be plebes of the military school in videos that went viral on social media.
PMA spokesman Maj. Cheryl Tindog said another cadet in one of the two videos was already kicked out of the Academy last year for violation of the Honor Code.
“Last Monday night, we confined the five cadets involved at the holding center here in PMA for an immediate investigation utilizing the videos as tools and bases for an impartial inquiry,” said Tindog.
The videos of the supposed hazing inside the PMA came out while the military school is still reeling from the controversy that stemmed from the death of Cadet 4th Class Darwin Dormitorio who was a victim of alleged hazing.
The death of Dormitorio led to the resignation of two top officials of the PMA, as well as the highest ranking official of the PMA Cadet Corps.
Tindog said that based on the background check, the videos circulating in the social media were taken in 2017 and 2018.
“However, the offenses they committed were and never will be sanctioned or tolerated in PMA,” said Tindog.
The PMA has time and again declares our strongest form of manifestation of serious and sincere drive to eradicate maltreatment. Cases have been filed, drastic actions are being undertaken, and the reforms are being instituted to rid PMA of maltreatment,” she added.
Tindog admitted that the PMA as an institution has been affected by the allegations of hazing in the past weeks.
But she assured that the PMA is now crafting means in order to get rid of maltreatment inside the Academy.
“The Academy is herself battered with the stories that came out in the news. We pray that the Filipino people will allow PMA to heal and the Corps of Cadets learn from its mistake. We fervently hope and pray that PMA will be allowed to make good with our commitments,” said Tindog.
“The PMA is not a perfect organization. She has in the ranks of the Cadet Corps misfits who need to be dealt with accordingly. We are working very hard in order for the measures and reforms being instituted to prosper and for the changes to continue to be implemented in order to address the problem from the roots,” she added.
