Relieved PMA hospital chief maintains Dormitorio only had UTI

The former commanding officer of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Station Hospital stands by the medical center's diagnosis that hazed cadet Darwin Dormitorio only had a urinary tract infection (UTI) when he was brought there by ambulance a day before his death.

According to a report by Marisol Abdurahman on 24 Oras on Wednesday, Colonel Cesar Candelaria maintained that Dormitorio did not manifest symptoms of blunt traumatic injuries to his stomach, which was the finding of the Baguio City police’s autopsy.

“Wala naman ibang symptoms, so naturally ang ire-request mo diyan, minimum, [ay] urinalysis. So ang lumalabas doon, marami ngang bacteria,” he said.

Candelaria and two other PMASH doctors are facing charges in connection with the plebe's death due to injuries from hazing.

“Kasi kung sakaling meron siyang abdominal injury, magma-manifest ito as early as first hour. Maximum six hours, may lalabas na ‘yang blunt abdominal injury—sasakit tiyan niya, mag-iincrease ang intensity, mahihirapan siyang kumain, magsusuka siya, at sa physical exam, titigas ang kanyang tiyan. However, these things did not manifest.”

Dormitorio was admitted to PMASH at 9:15 a.m. on September 17. At some time past 6:53 a.m., he had been beaten by two cadets, and at around 8:30 a.m. another cadet kicked him several times on the side of his body. 

Before this, in August, he was admitted to PMASH for eight days after more beatings, and was brought to the hospital again on September 6 for a chest contusion.

TIMELINE: Darwin Dormitorio's last days and final hours

Candelaria said they saw old bruises on Dormitorio’s body, but the cadet was still able to bathe and eat before being discharged, something that a person with blunt abdominal injury would not have been able to do.

“The truth is UTI siya. Inalagaan siya ng mga doctor. Pag-uwi, may pumatay sa kanya. ‘Yun ang imbestigahan nila,” he said.

Candelaria cited as proof the various bruises that were found by authorities on Dormitorio’s body that they did not see during his September 17 visit.

However, Dormitorio’s bereaved brother Dexter said they still believe that there was negligence on the part of the hospital officials.

Candelaria said he will face the charges against him. Captain Flor Apostol, the attending physician of Dormitorio, will also be facing administrative charges. 

Dormitorio died on the morning of September 18 after suffering repeated maltreatment at the hands of his fellow cadets. — Julia Mari Ornedo/BM, GMA News