MANILA – The death of a Philippine Military Academy (PMA) cadet last week in Baguio City prompted a lawmaker to push a measure including hazing in the list of “heinous crimes.”
Cagayan de Oro 2nd District Rep. Rufus Rodriguez said in a television interview that Congress might define hazing as a heinous crime following the death of PMA cadet Darwin Dormitorio, who he said died of cardiac arrest due to internal hemorrhage.
“There is a possibility we will elevate this into a heinous crime. Although right now the penalty already is reclusion perpetua plus a P3-million fine in case death occurs,” Rodriguez said in an interview with ABS CBN News Channel.
The parents of slain law freshman Horacio Castillo III over the weekend urged lawmakers to make hazing a heinous crime.
“The difference will be first they will not be eligible for good conduct time allowance. They will have to serve the entire life imprisonment that will be meted to them. Because it seems the new law last year did not deter people like in the case of the PMA,” he added.
Rodriguez further said: “there is command responsibility here. A young person who wishes to become a military officer and do good service to the country. All the dreams of Darwin have died with him.”
The solon has also called for an independent investigation to be conducted by the Philippine National Police (PNP) and National Bureau of Investigation on the incident and not just by the PMA.
The PNP said that it was already considering as suspects the three third class cadets who were earlier identified as persons of interest in the death of Dormitorio./PN
