MANILA – The military said it would tap a third party to review policies at the Philippine Military Academy (PMA), following the death of one of its cadets due to suspected hazing.
“We might get third-party people that can help us look into what systems have to be changed in PMA,” Armed Forces of the Philippines chief of staff General Noel Clement said in his first flag-raising rites as military chief.
“Ang babaguhin kasi doon is not only how we train our cadets but probably even how the officers that are assigned there perform their respective duty in as far as the cadets are concerned. It’s going to be a institution-wide review, para medyo long-term ‘yung magiging solusyon natin dun sa problema ng hazing,” he added.
PMA Cadet Darwin Dormitorio, 20, died last Sep. 18 after complaining of stomach pain. He had bruises on his stomach consistent with hazing, initial reports said.
President Rodrigo Duterte last year signed a stronger anti-hazing law, in response to the hazing death of University of Santo Tomas law freshman Horacio Castillo III.
However, hazing incidents and frat-related violence in the country’s premier military training institution and in some law schools continue. Some incidents resulted in deaths. (With ABS-CBN News/PN)
