Dismissed PMA cadets face anti-hazing law raps over Dormitorio death

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — Three dismissed cadets of the Philippine Military Academy will be facing complaints of violations of the anti-hazing law in connection to death of 20-year-old cadet Darwin Dormitorio last Wednesday.

Col. Allan Rae Co, Baguio City police director, said dismissed cadets Shalimar Imperial and Felix Lumbag—both squadmates of Dormitorio—and Axl Ray Sanupao, who reportedly "encouraged" the physical abuse of Dormitorio will face raps of violation of Republic Act 11053 in civilian courts.

Brig. Gen. Bartolome Bacarro, who has resigned as commandant of cadets, on Tuesday said Imperial and Lumbag were dismissed from the Cadet Corps of the Armed Forces of the Philippines for their direct participation what academy officials refer to as the "maltreatment" of Dormitorio while Sanupao was also dismissed from the academy for encouraging the brutalities inflicted on the fourthclassman.

President Rodrigo Duterte signed RA 11053 in June, amending RA 8059 and prohibiting all forms of hazing and imposing harsher penalties on hazing deaths. The 23-year-old anti-hazing law previously merely regulated the action.

There has only been one conviction since RA 8059 was passed.

Under the new law, the definition of hazing has been expanded to include "physical or psychological suffering, harm or injury inflicted on a recruit, neophyte, applicant or member as part of an initiation rite or a requirement for continuing membership in a fraternity or sorority or organization."

It covers acts ranging from paddling to whipping, beating, branding, forced calisthenics, exposure to the weather, forced consumption of any food, liquor, beverage, drug or other substance or any brutal treatment or forced physical activity likely to adversely affect the physical and psychological health of such recruit.

The measure also bans all forms of hazing in fraternities, sororities and organizations in schools, communities and even businesses and uniformed service learning institutions.

The amended law provides stiffer penalties.  Those who planned or participated in the hazing which results in death, rape, sodomy or mutilation will be slapped with a penalty of reclusion perpetua and a fine of P3 million.

The new law also penalizes individuals who try to cover up hazing activities.

The death of University of Santo Tomas freshman Horacio Tomas Castillo III during an initiation rite of Aegis Juris fraternity in 2017 sparked moves to amend the old anti-hazing policy.