BAGUIO CITY – A court here on Friday, August 4, found two cadets of the Philippine Military Academy guilty of slight physical injuries over the hazing death of 4th Class Cadet Darwin Dormitorio in September 2019.
In a decision issued by Presiding Judge Roberto A. Mabalot of the Municipal Trial Court in Cities Branch 1 at the Baguio City Justice Hall, Cadet Third Class Julius Carlo Tadena and Cadet Second Class Christian Zacarias were sentenced to 30 days in jail.
They were also asked to pay Dormitorio's family P100,000 and P50,000 in attorney's fees.
Dormitorio, 20, was found unconscious in one of the rooms of the PMA Mayo Hall in Fort del Pilar on September 17, 2019. He was taken to the hospital but he died the following day, September 18.
Autopsy said that Dormitorio died due to blunt force trauma and investigation showed that he was a victim of hazing and other types of maltreatment.
Four other cadets were charged for his death – Cadets Third Class Shalimar Imperial Jr., Felix Lumbag Jr., John Vincent Manalo, and Rey David John Volante.
Capt. Flor Apple Apostle, Major Maria Ofelia Beloy, and Lt. Col. Ceasar Candelaria were also charged for their "gross failure to provide adequate medical care to Dormitorio" which caused his death.
Apostol, Beloy, and Candelaria were acquitted in the case of reckless imprudence resulting in homicide.