Baguio court orders arrest of PMA cadets, doctors over Dormitorio death

A Baguio City court has issued arrest warrants against three Philippine Military Academy (PMA) cadets indicted over the hazing death of Cadet 4th Class Darwin Dormitorio.

Baguio City Police chief Police Colonel Allen Rae Co confirmed this to reporters, saying they are already coordinating with concerned agencies for the arrest of Cadets Shalimar Imperial Jr. and Felix Lumbag Jr. for hazing and murder charges and Cadet Julius Carlo Tadena for hazing and "less serious physical injuries" charges.

Co said the cadets are currently under the custody of the Armed Forces of the Philippines general headquarters.

The Regional Trial Court First Judicial Region Branch 5 of Baguio City also released warrants of arrest against former PMA Station Hospital chief Lieutenant Colonel Ceasar Candelaria and medical officers Captain Flor Apple Apostol and Major Maria Ofelia Beloy who have also been charged for murder.

According to the warrant of arrest issued last July 7 by Presiding Judge Maria Ligaya Itliong-Rivera, military doctors Candelaria, Apostol, and Beloy could post bail at P200,000 each.

No bail was recommended for the cadets, the warrant of arrest stated.

Dormitorio died due to hazing-related injuries on September 18 last year, after months of alleged repeated maltreatment by his fellow cadets. — RSJ, GMA News