House opens probe on PMMA cadet's death

The House Committee on Technical and Higher Education on Tuesday opened its investigation into the death of Cadet 4th Class Jonash Bondoc at the Philippine Merchant Marine Academy (PMMA) barracks in Zambales on July 6.

Agusan del Norte Representative Lawrence Fortun initially filed a resolution calling for a congressional inquiry after the Philippine National Police (PNP) Zambales considered the case closed after a homicide complaint was filed against Cadet Third Class Jomel Gloria.

PMMA Chief of Staff of the Superintendent Chuck dela Cruz testified that Gloria had coordinated with the academy and made an extra-judicial confession that he “unintentionally” punched Bondoc on the chest twice as an act of “lambing” and part of tradition before Bondoc would go back home to Butuan City for a break.

However, Fortun said that the Bondoc family presented screenshots of a conversation and videos that alleged that the victim's death was due to hazing.

In a November 24 exchange of messages between Bondoc and his older brother Joshua, Bondoc said in Bisaya, “Everything is normal here, but they know how to control if the cadet is strong or not.”

“Especially in our Committee because our training is special compared to other normal cadets,” Bondoc added.

Bondoc also sent his brother a photo of his fellow Committee members and identified those who were allegedly punching them. He also asked him not to tell their parents about the hazing incidents.

After Bondoc died, the family also received messages from anonymous senders offering help to prove that there was hazing at the PMMA and that they had video proof taken from previous years.

It was 3C Cadet Kent Roger Soloveres who allegedly found Gloria trying to prop up an unconscious Bondoc in a comfort room.

“Sabi niya (Gloria) sir, tulungan ko daw siya na hawakan si Bondoc kasi nabibigatan na siya sa paghawak kay Bondoc (Gloria asked me to help carry Bondoc because he was having difficulty holding Bondoc up),” Soloveres said.

Pressed on whether he thought that it was Gloria who was responsible for Bondoc being the way he was, Soloveres said, “Yes sir, kasi sila lang dalawa tao yung tao doon sa comfort room (It was just the two of them are in there).”

The autopsy report conducted by the Scene of the Crime Operatives showed that Bondoc died from a “traumatic injury in the head.” He also had a hematoma, abrasions, and several contusions in the head, neck, chest, abdomen, and extremities.

Fortun then asked why the PNP and the officials of the PMMA headed by Commodore Joel Abutal did not investigate further based on the medico legal report when Gloria said that he only punched Bondoc in the chest.

“Mukhang hindi nga ninyo alam ang pagkakaiba ng hazing at homicide. Sa hazing kasi, ginagawa siya... para patuloy kang manatili sa isang organisasyon o institusyon. So parang lahat ng uuwi, lahat ng magbabakasyon ay may ‘pabaon’ [because] it’s a norm, a tradition. If it is happening as a norm, kahit unofficial ‘yan, hindi alam o hindi nakikita ng cadet, batay po sa definition ng hazing, hazing po siya,” Fortun said.

(It looks like you don't know the difference between hazing and a homicide. People are hazed to keep them in an organization or institution. So everyone headed home gets a "reminder." It's a norm, a tradition. If it is happening as a norm, even if it's unofficial, and you don't see any indication of it on the cadet, based on the definition of hazing, it's hazing.)

Republic Act No. 11053 or the Anti-Hazing Act of 2018 states that hazing is “any act that results in physical or psychological suffering, harm, or injury inflicted on a recruit, neophyte, applicant, or member as part of an initiation rite or practice made as a prerequisite for admission or a requirement for continuing membership in a fraternity, sorority, or organization.”

Fortun further asked the House Committee for an executive session to continue the discussion and investigation on Bondoc’s case.

“It is our earnest hope and prayer that this investigation will facilitate justice for the victim and his family and result in this extrusion of reforms to our laws and policies so that barbaric traditions and practices and culture of violence in schools, academies, campuses, and communities will finally be eliminated, if not substantially reduced,” he said. — DVM, GMA News