3 PMA cadets indicted over hazing of plebe

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — Three of four cadets in the Philippine Military Academy tagged in the alleged hazing of a PMA plebe in September last year have been indicted.

The Baguio Prosecutor’s Office found probable cause to charge cadets Victer Norris Pis-oy, Jude Derek Guliman and Howard Nathaniel Alvarez for violating Republic Act 11053 or the Anti-Hazing Law of 2018. The charges against another cadet, Pyke Pomida, were dismissed for lack of evidence.

State prosecutors also dropped the frustrated murder charges filed against all the accused for lack of evidence.

The cadets were accused of inflicting physical harm on fourth class cadet Mauwee Maraggun, who claimed the defendants forced him to perform strenuous exercises until he collapsed.

Maraggun said it took two months for him to recover from his injuries.

The PMA earlier penalized Pis-oy, squad leader of Maraggun, with 60 demerits, 210 touring hours and 210 days of room confinement, while Guliman and Alvarez were suspended for a year for “inflicting physical injuries on a classmate.”