Videos showing actual hazing at PMA surface

The Philippine Military Academy (PMA) has confirmed that the videos in which plebes could be seen being hazed by upperclassmen were taken at the military school.

According to Marisol Abdurahman’s report on "24 Oras", six upperclassmen were responsible for the beatings doled out on the plebes.

Five of the upperclassmen were being held in the academy’s holding area while the sixth cadet had been expelled earlier over a different infraction.

"The worst thing na puwede pong mangyari sa mga cadet na involved is that they will be separated from the Philippine Military Academy. They will no longer be part of our family,” said PMA Public Information Office chief Captain Cherryl Tindog.

The PMA said the cadets who were maltreated in the videos were now in their third year at the academy.

PMA Spokesperson Brigadier General Edgard Arevalo meanwhile was appalled by the maltreatment recorded in the videos.

“Nakakalungkot lang talaga ay nagawa pa nilang i-video ang kanilang misdemeanor, 'yung kanilang pangma-maltreat sa-- I would presume mga plebo 'yun. Wala naman sigurong matutuwa kung ganun ang makikita mo,” said Arevalo.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines likewise decried the cadet hazing, pointing out that the beatings had no training value.

While the incidents recorded on the videos had no direct bearing to last September's hazing death of Cadet Darwin Dormitorio, the Baguio City Police said they saw some similarities between the all the incidents.

“May pagkakahawig. Sabihin na natin dun sa nakita natin sa video, ‘yung panununtok at paninipa na nangyayari kay Darwin,” said Baguio City chief of police Allen Rae Co.

The Dormitorio family meanwhile said that the videos proved that the hazing culture at the academy was deeply rooted.

Cadet 4th Class Dormitorio died last September 18 from the repeated beatings he received from upperclassmen. 

The new commandant of the PMA had vowed to “wage war” against hazing following Dormitorio's death and other reported hazing cases. — Julia Mari Ornedo/DVM/NB, GMA News