Several plebes had bruise marks on their bodies, medical exam showed
Published Sep 30, 2019 07:27 pm
By Martin Sadongdong
The physical examination on about 300 first year cadets of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) has been concluded and "several" of the plebes were found to have contusions or bruises in their bodies, a ranking officer disclosed Monday.
Brigadier General Romeo Brawner Jr. (RTVM/ PRESIDENTIAL COMMUNICATIONS / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
But Brigadier General Romeo Brawner Jr., acting PMA commandant of cadets assured the public that the plebes are all in "good condition" and did not need hospitalization.
Defense secretary Delfin Lorenzana ordered all plebes to undergo a medical exam following the death of Cadet 4th Class Darwin Dormitorio due to hazing and injured three other plebes who were reportedly maltreated.
Brig. Gen. Edgard Arevalo, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesperson said the three cadets are in stable condition in a hospital and are responding to medication.
Asked how many cadets had contusions on their bodies, Brawner replied: “I don't want to be specific as to the number because I think there would be another investigation on that."
"What I can assure the public, their families, is that they are all okay. It involves just several cadets and this is not widespread," he added.
Brawner said the plebes were already asked how they got the bruises and who were responsible for it.
"We take their revelations seriously but we also have to give due process to their upperclassmen. We will try to get their side also as part of our investigation," he noted.
As part of his campaign to eliminate hazing in the country's premier military academy, Brawner said he talked to the cadets last week and authorized the plebes to report to him personally if their upperclassmen subjected them to hazing.
"I told the plebes to report to me within 12 hours if they are hazed. They can also report to their squad leader, company commander, brigade commander or tactical officer so there's many avenues now to let us know about their condition," he said.
Brigadier General Romeo Brawner Jr. (RTVM/ PRESIDENTIAL COMMUNICATIONS / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
But Brigadier General Romeo Brawner Jr., acting PMA commandant of cadets assured the public that the plebes are all in "good condition" and did not need hospitalization.
Defense secretary Delfin Lorenzana ordered all plebes to undergo a medical exam following the death of Cadet 4th Class Darwin Dormitorio due to hazing and injured three other plebes who were reportedly maltreated.
Brig. Gen. Edgard Arevalo, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesperson said the three cadets are in stable condition in a hospital and are responding to medication.
Asked how many cadets had contusions on their bodies, Brawner replied: “I don't want to be specific as to the number because I think there would be another investigation on that."
"What I can assure the public, their families, is that they are all okay. It involves just several cadets and this is not widespread," he added.
Brawner said the plebes were already asked how they got the bruises and who were responsible for it.
"We take their revelations seriously but we also have to give due process to their upperclassmen. We will try to get their side also as part of our investigation," he noted.
As part of his campaign to eliminate hazing in the country's premier military academy, Brawner said he talked to the cadets last week and authorized the plebes to report to him personally if their upperclassmen subjected them to hazing.
"I told the plebes to report to me within 12 hours if they are hazed. They can also report to their squad leader, company commander, brigade commander or tactical officer so there's many avenues now to let us know about their condition," he said.