Cadet’s family sue ex-PMA chief, commandant for hazing, torture

November 5, 2019

BAGUIO CITY  -- The family of a Philippine Military Academy (PMA) who died sued former PMA chief Lt. Gen. Ronnie Evangelista and ex-commandant of cadets Brig. Gen. Bartolome Bacarro for hazing, torture and for dereliction of duty before the Baguio Prosecutors Office Monday afternoon.

Dexter Dormitorio, older brother of PMA Fourth Class Cadet Darwin Dormitorio, who allegedly died of hazing by his upper classmen claimed before prosecutors that Evangelista and Bacarro should be indicted as accomplices in violating the Anti-Hazing Law, Anti-Torture Law and  dereliction of duty under the Revised Penal Code.

The Dormitorios, aided by lawyer Jose Adrian Bonifacio, said the complaint is based on the case earlier filed by the National Bureau of Investigation-Cordillera against Evangelista and Bacarro.

The NBI found that Evangelista and Bacarro did nothing to avert the Dormitorio's death on September 18.

RA 11053 signed by President Rodrigo Duterte on June 29, 2019, which amends RA 8059, the original Anti-Hazing Law passed in 1995,   prohibits all forms of hazing and imposing harsher penalties on hazing death.

Hazing, torture and murder raps were earlier filed by the Dormitorios versus First Class Cadet Axl Rey Sanupao, 2nd Class Cadet Christian Zacarias, and 3rd Class Cadets Rey David John Volante, Julius Carlo Tadena, John Vincent Manalo, Felix Lumbag Jr. and Shalimar Imperial.

The Dormitorios also charged Senior Tactical Officer Major Rex Bolo and Echo Company Tactical Officer Captain Jeffrey Batistiana as accomplices in violating the Anti-Hazing Law.

The Dormitorios claimed Monday they can show inaction on the part of the two ex-PMA officials even though they were informed of the maltreatment that the cadet underwent in August. DMS