A Baguio City Regional Trial Court on Friday, August 16, found three Philippine Military Academy cadets guilty over the hazing death of Cadet Fourth Class Darwin Dormitorio five years ago in September 2019.
DORMITORIO (FB)
Sentenced by Judge Maria-Ligaya Itliong-Rivera of the RTC Branch 5 to reclusion perpetua or 40 years in prison were Shalimar Imperial Jr., Felix Lumbag Jr., and Julius Carlo Tadena.
Rivera found Imperial and Lumbag guilty of murder and violating Republic Act No. 11053 or the Anti-Hazing Law.
Tadena, on the other hand, was guilty beyond reasonable doubt of violating the Anti-Hazing Law.
The court also fined Imperial and Lumbag P3 million each for hazing.
Aside from the fine, the court also ordered them to jointly and solidarily pay Dormitorio’s heirs a total of P275,000: P75,000 civil indemnity, P75,000 moral damages, P25,000 temperate damages, and P100,000 attorney’s fees.
Dormitorio’s family lauded the decision.
“Guilty beyond reasonable doubt, RECLUSION PERPETUA for Felix Lumbag, Shalimar Imperial and Julius Carlo Tadena!” Joselito Dormitorio, Darwin’s uncle, said in a Facebook post. “Rest well William and Darwin, there is JUSTICE for our family,” Joselito added.
Dormitorio, 20, whose father was a graduate of the PMA Marangal Class of 1974, 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.
More than a year ago on August 4, a court here also found Tadena and a fellow cadet, Christian Zacarias, guilty of slight physical injuries in Dormitorio’s hazing death.
Presiding Judge Roberto A. Mabalot of the Municipal Trial Court in Cities Branch 1 sentenced them to 30 days in jail and to pay Dormitorio's family P100,000 and P50,000 in attorney's fees.