Plastic bag placed on Dormitorio’s head after beating at PMA, cops say

Some of Philippine Military Academy cadet Darwin Dormitorio's upperclassmen appeared to continuously want to hurt him, investigation by the Baguio City police has shown.

According to Raffy Tima's report on “State of the Nation with Jessica Soho”, one of the senior cadets allegedly even placed a plastic bag over Dormitorio's head until he almost suffocated.

Cadet 3rd Class John Vincent Manalo allegedly placed the plastic bag after two other cadets beat up Dormitorio on September 14.

“It seems as if there was a consistent effort on their part na they were hurting Cadet Dormitorio that ultimately led to his death,” Baguio City chief of police Police Colonel Allen Rae Co said.

The incident took place on September 14.

Three days later, Dormitorio once again suffered a beating by Cadets 3rd Class Felix Lumbag Jr. and Shalimar Imperial upon the endorsement of Cadet 1st Class Axl Rey Sanopao over a missing pair of boots.

On the same day, Dormitorio was also maltreated by Cadet 2nd Class Christian Zacarias.

Dormitorio went to the PMA Station Hospital but was discharged soon after because doctors on duty only diagnosed him with Urinary Tract Infection (UTI).

When the plebe returned to his room, he was kicked in the head by a Cadet 3rd Class Rey David John Volante.

“Nainis sa kanya (Dormitorio) kasi UTI lang pala ‘yung dinaramdam niya,” said Co.

Still on September 17, Dormitorio was tasered in his genitals by Cadet 3rd Class Julius Carlo Tadena just before midnight.

Cadets Manalo, Volante, Zacarias and Tadena were previously unidentified by Baguio City police as suspects. Their names were bared by authorities on Monday after their investigation into Dormitorio’s death was completed.

The three other the cadets earlier identified as suspects by the police were Sanopao, Imperial, and Lumbag after authorities discovered that the plebe was beaten up over a missing pair of boots.

“Let us remember that Cadet Dormitorio was already in pain. Meron na siyang injury na nasustain niya. So most probably, tama po ‘yun, dahan-dahan siyang parang kinikitilan, namamatay,” Co said.

“Kung nag-stay sa hospital siguro, that could have been prevented, kasi may medical intervention na para doon sa sakit talaga,” added Police Brigadier General Israel Dickson, regional director of the Philippine National Police-Cordillera Administrative Region.

Dormitorio was rushed to the hospital at dawn on September 18 after he was found unconscious in his room.

He died at 5:15 a.m.

The PMA Station Hospital doctors who oversaw the treatment of Dormitorio, Captain Flor Apostol and Major Ofelia Beloy, will also be facing charges of criminal negligence over the incident.

“We do not believe that it was deliberate, but we believe that there are some lapses on the doctors who diagnosed Dormitorio, especially in the September 17 incident,” said Co.

Authorities are mulling murder or violation of the Anti-Hazing Law raps against the suspects.

The seven cadets linked to the incident are now in the custody of the PMA while the two doctors are still free while no charges are being filed against them. —Julia Mari Ornedo/NB, GMA News