EDITORIAL - Death by punishment

A cadet of the Philippine National Police Academy has died after allegedly receiving punches to the gut as a punishment.

According to reports, Cadet 3rd Class George Karl Magsayo, was dealt five body blows for an infraction during training. He was later found unresponsive in their dorm and was rushed to the hospital where he was declared dead.

What he did to deserve such a punishment was not revealed.

PNP chief Police General Guillermo Eleazar has ordered an investigation into the incident.

“We cannot claim to be products of an institution that puts premium on integrity, service, and justice if we cannot practice them on ourselves,” he was quoted as saying in an online news report.

The cadet suspected of inflicting the punishment on Magsayo is now under custody.

Away from the public eye, there will always be forms of hazing or punishments unique to an institution, fraternity, or organization. Some practices are violent or even deadly. Some of these have become a twisted practice that people cannot let go of. They will say it is tradition, others will say that because it was done to them by upperclassmen they will also do it to lowerclassmen, and so on.

Some will even justify it is a form of punishment designed to instill discipline and make the receiver even tougher. Be that as it may, it still has no place in civilized society.

We cannot help but wonder if this is the reason why some policemen are given to violence.

Is there a culture of violence in the PNP that is somehow passed on from the higher ranks to the lower ranks? And from there from the policemen to civilians?

We all remember some policemen and what they did that was totally out of character, at least the character of a policeman as dictated by society, anyway.

There was Jonel Nuezca who was recorded practically executing his neighbor and her son while people looked on. Hensie Zinampan who shot his neighbor dead, also on video. Also Daniel Florendo who shot dead a soldier suffering from PTSD in Makati City who was no threat to anyone.

Authorities would like to call their acts “isolated incidents”. But again, these few give the rest of the organization, composed of respectable law enforcers, such a sullied name.

Those responsible for Magsayo’s death must be made to pay. And also some changes should be made in the PNPA regarding how punishment is dealt.