PNPA honor grad among victims of mauling incident

An honor graduate of the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) Class of 2018 was among the victims of last week's mauling incident allegedly perpetrated by a group of underclassmen, a police report showed.

The report from Silang Municipal Police Station identified the victims as Police Inspectors Ylam Lambenecio, Arjay Divino, Mark Kevin Villares, Floyd Traqueña, Jan Paul Magmoyao and Jail Inspector Arjay Marcaida Cuasay.

Cuasay is Top 9 in the 106-strong PNPA Maragtas Class of 2018. He received the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology Kampilan Award during the 39th commencement exercises held on March 21.

Meanwhile, nine of the underclassmen were identified by witnesses as Cadet 2nd Class Donald Ramirez Kissing, Cadet 2nd Class Delos Santos, Cadet 2nd Class Jem Camcam Peralta, Cadet 2nd Class Clint John Baguidodol, Cadet 2nd Class Christopher De Guzman Macalalad; Cadet 2nd Class Loreto Aquino Tuliao Jr., Cadet 2nd Class Calamba, Cadet 2nd Class Coplat and Cadet 2nd Class Amanon.

Lambenecio and Divino have already personally appeared before the Silang Municipal Police Station as they executed their complaint-affidavit against the suspects.

The other victims also executed their respected affidavit but said that they are not interested in filing a case.

At least 41 underclassmen are being considered as "cadets of interest" in the incident, according to PNPA director Chief Superintendent Joseph Adnol.

"For administrative case we're investigating 41, but we're zeroing into as of this moment, 15," Adnol said in a phone interview with reporters.

"If they will be found guilty [for] grave misconduct and conduct unbecoming of a cadet... class one offense, they will be dismissed from the Academy," he added.

Based on PNPA's initial investigation, Adnol said the underclassmen may have wanted to "get even" with the upperclassmen.

"Ang lumalabas itong mga upperclass na ito sila 'yung mga strict in the implementation ng mga policies and of course sila yung laging namumuno don if there are violations," he said.

The six new PNPA graduates were mauled by their underclassmen right after their graduation rites attended by President Rodrigo Duterte last week.

The incident occurred between 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. when the upperclassmen were going back to their barracks after the graduation rites.

Adnol said that the underclassmen involved supposedly even used arnis and rocks when they mauled the newly-commissioned officers who suffered injuries. —KBK, GMA News