PNPA director offered to resign after mauling incident —Bato

The director of the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) has offered to resign due to the mauling incident after the graduation rites last week, according to PNP chief Director General Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa.

Dela Rosa said PNPA director Chief Superintendent Joseph Adnol called him last week expressing his desire to quit his post.

"Sabi niya sa akin, 'Sir napapahiya na ako dito, hindi ko naman talaga kagustuhan ito, nabigla lang ako na meron palang ganitong tradition na ngayon sa PNPA. Wala ito sa panahon namin kaya hindi ako nakapag-prepare. Nagulat lang ako nung bumaik yung mga graduate na opisyal na bumalik sa barracks at kinuyog nung mga underclass so sir I am volunteering my resignation'," Dela Rosa told reporters on Monday.

Dela Rosa said he turned down Adnol's resignation offer and just ordered the PNPA director to properly conduct an investigation into the incident and that the incident will no longer be repeated at the Academy.

"Sabi ko my answer was no, you don't have to resign, hindi mo kasalanan 'yan at gawin mo lang properly yung investigation at sigurihin mo na ma-stop 'yang tradition na 'yan," he said.

Adnol in a phone interview with reporters at Camp Crame, confirmed that he had offered to resign. He said he was was "ashamed" over the incident.

Six new PNPA graduates were beaten-up by their underclassmen right after their graduation rites graced by President Rodrigo Duterte on March 21 and Dela Rosa.

The incident occurred between 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. when the upperclassmen were going back to their barracks after the graduation rites.

Adnol said the underclassmen even used rattan sticks and rocks when they attacked the six graduates.

In a police report from Silang Municipal Police Station, the victims were identified as Inspectors Ylam Lambenecio, Arjay Divino, Mark Kevin Villares, Floyd Traqueña, Jan Paul Magmoyao and Jail Inspector Arjay Marcaida Cuasay.

Meanwhile, nine of the underclassmen who inflicted injuries were identified by witnesses as: Cadet 2nd Class Donald Ramirez Kissing, Cadet 2nd Class Delos Santos, Cadet 2nd Class Jem Camcam Peralta, Cadet 2nd Class Clint John Baguidodol, Cadet 2nd Class Christopher De Guzman Macalalad; Cadet 2nd Class Loreto Aquino Tuliao Jr., Cadet 2nd Class Calamba, Cadet 2nd Class Coplat and Cadet 2nd Class Amanon.

Lambenecio and Divino personally have submitted their sworn statements on the incident before the Silang Municipal Police Station. They have also filed complaints of serious physical injury against the nine underclassmen.

The other victims also executed their respected affidavits but said that they are not interested in filing complaints.

At least 41 "cadets of interest" are being investigated while a pre-charge investigation will also be filed against 20 cadets of the PNPA Class 2019.

Based on the PNPA's initial investigation, the cadets may have wanted to "get even" with their upperclassmen.

"Ang lumalabas itong mga upperclass na ito sila yung mga strict in the implementation ng mga policies and of course sila yung laging namumuno don if there are violations," he said.

Dela Rosa, meanwhile, said that the "on and off tradition" of "bawian" among the cadets in the academy should be stopped as it "promotes a cycle of violence."

He also clarified that this was not sanctioned by the PNPA management.

"That is within [the] cadet corps na parang meron silang tradition but it is not being sanctioned by the PNPA management nor the alumni association, hindi 'yan sina-sanction, sa kanila lang 'yan kaya sabi nila wala 'yan sa panahon namin," he said. —ALG, GMA News