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Court orders transfer of cadets charged over Darwin Dormitorio death to city jail


A Baguio court has ordered the transfer of the three Philippine Military Academy (PMA) cadets who were charged over the death of their fellow cadet Darwin Dormitorio to the city jail.

In an order dated July 29, the Baguio Regional Trial Court Branch 5 directed that cadets Shalimar Imperial Jr., Felix Lumbag Jr., Julius Carlo Tadena be detained at the Baguio City Jail while the court resolves the military's motion to retain custody of the three.

Imperial and Lumbag face charges for hazing and murder and Tadena faces charges for hazing and less serious physical injuries over the death of Dormitorio in 2019.

Prosecutors also indicted former PMA Station Hospital chief Lt. Col. Ceasar Candelaria and medical officers Capt. Flor Apple Apostol and Maj. Maria Ofelia Beloy for murder.

The three cadets are under the custody of the Armed Forces of the Philippines while on trial before a military court for conduct prejudicial to good order and military discipline.

The military has filed a motion to retain custody of the cadets. The civilian Baguio court ordered the prosecution until Thursday morning to comment on the motion.

Maj. Gen. Edgardo Arevalo, spokesman of the AFP, said they will retain custody of the three until the court resolves their motion.

He said the military has acquired jurisdiction of the three cadets, whom he said are covered by military law.

When the civilian court ordered the arrest of the three, Arevalo said they explained that the cadets are already detained by the military while they undergo trial before the general court martial. He said they can bring the cadets to the civilian court when required.

"For the meantime humingi tayo ng permiso sa korte para i-retain muna 'yung custody na meron tayo dito sa mga ito, so kung mag-resolve na ang korte na sabihin nila na 'no, we deny your petition,' that's the time that we will be able to take appropriate action," Arevalo said. —KBK, GMA News

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