3 cadets face violation of Anti-Hazing law for Dormitorio's death

Charges are being readied for violation of the Anti-Hazing law against three cadets of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) over the death of Cadet 4th Class Darwin Dormitorio.

According to a report by James Agustin on GMA News TV's State of the Nation with Jessica Soho, the Baguio City Police is about to wrap up its investigation on the incident.

Expected to be charged are Cadet 1st Class Axl Rey Sanopao and Cadets 3rd Class Felix Lumbag Jr. and Shalimar Imperial.  They will be turned over by the PMA to the police once the cases are filed.

Initial findings showed Dormitorio suffered a beating in the hands of his fellow cadets because of a missing pair of boots, supposedly entrusted to him by Sanopao.

Based on the sworn testimonies of eight witnesses submitted to the Baguio Police, Sanopao ordered Lumbag and Imperial to beat up Dormitorio on September 17.

“Initially for the September 17 incident ay ‘yung nawawalang combat boots ni Cadet Sanopao kung saan ini-entrust niya sa care ni Cadet Dormitorio, it’s been missing for around a week na raw po and nung pinapa-produce na and pinapalabas na ni Cadet Sanopao kay Cadet Dormitorio ay hindi na niya mailabas,” said Police Colonel Allen Rae Co, office director of the Baguio City Police.

Lumbag was the assigned “buddy” of Dormitorio in the academy.

Dormitorio was rushed to the PMA Station Hospital but was sent back to the barracks because the attending physician on duty at the time, relieved Flor Apple Apostol, only diagnosed him with UTI.

The cadet was rushed to the hospital again at dawn on September 18 after he was found unconscious. He died at 5:15 a.m. the same day.

Prior to his death, Dormitorio went to the hospital on September 6 because of stomach pains.

From August 20 to 27, he was also confined after complaining of stomach and chest pains.

According to resigned commandant of cadets, Brigadier General Bartolome Vicente Bacarro, their investigation into Dormitorio’s confinement in August points to Lumbag as the culprit.

“Siya raw po ay pinag-push up, pinag-exercise nang pinag-exercise and he was hurt and punched by one of the cadets there, Cadet Lumbag. On the part of the cadets involved, there seems to be a series of and premeditated actions towards maltreating Cadet Dormitorio,” Co said.

The handwritten statement of Dormitorio naming Lumbag as one of the cadets who hurt him is now in the hands of the Baguio City Police.

One-year suspension was recommended for Lumbag after this incident. He was also banned from coming near Dormitorio, but he disobeyed this order.

Lumbag, Imperial, Sanapao, and Dormitorio’s squad leader Cadet 2nd Class Nickoel Termil will be expelled from the academy.

The commander of the PMA Station Hospital Colonel Cesar Candelaria was also relieved following the controversy. —Julia Ornedo/LDF, GMA News