Three former cadets from the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) were indicted for murder and hazing charges by the Baguio City Regional Trial Court (RTC) over the death of 4th Class Darwin Dormitorio in 2019.
In a 42-page decision, the court sentenced 3rd Class Cadets: Shalimar Imperial Jr., Julius Tadena, and Felix Lumbag Jr. for Dormitorio’s death over hazing. The mentioned cadets were identified as principal suspects and were found ‘guilty beyond reasonable doubt’ for violating Section 3 of Republic Act No. 11053, or the Anti-Hazing Law.
They were also convicted of murder and were ordered by the Court to compensate Dormitorio’s kin with Php75,000, with additional fines of Php75,000 as moral damages, Php25,000 as temperate damages, and Php100,000 as attorney’s fees.
Both suspects were sentenced to reclusion perpetua, for each of the cases promulgated by Judge Maria Ligata Itliong-Rivera. They were also ordered to pay a fine of Php3 million each.
Additionally, cadet Julius Carlo Tadena was also found guilty of violating the Anti-Hazing Law and was sentenced to reclusion perpetua. He was ordered to pay a fine of Php2 million.
Dormitorio’s Hazing Case
Dormitorio was a member of the PMA Class of 2023, before his tragic passing due to the repeated physical abuse by his upperclassmen. Records showed that the former third-class cadets began assaulting Dormitorio in August 2019.
According to authorities, he was found unresponsive and had no vital signs, the day he was taken to the hospital. He was given cardio-pulmonary resuscitation but was later declared dead.
The 20-year-old cadet died at the PMA Hospital in September the same year, after experiencing pain around his stomach area. It was later found that his death was a result of the traumatic injuries that he sustained during the hazing rituals conducted inside PMA.
Practices Within the Academy
The late cadet’s passing triggered human rights advocates and lawmakers to rally against the persistent practice of hazing within the military academy. The tradition that continued to plague the academy, sparked outrage among concerned citizens, demanding laws to be reformed.
In 2023, the Baguio Municipal RTC ruled that cadets Tadena and Zacarias were guilty of “slight physical injuries”. However, with that decision, three medical officers were acquitted of their involvement.
In the recent decision, Capt. Flor Apple A. Apostol, Maj. Maria Ofelia R. Beloy and Lt. Col. Caesar A. Candelaria, the doctors who treated the victim were charged after failing to provide ‘adequate medical care’ to Dormitorio. The decision stated that these actions caused the latter’s death.
They were ordered to post bail of Php200,000 each.
