Albayalde: Hazing should be considered a heinous crime

The body of PMA cadet Darwin Dormitorio arrives at Laguindingan Airport on Saturday. —JIGGER JERUSALEM/INQUIRER MINDANAO

MANILA, Philippines — Following the death of a cadet at the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) due to hazing, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde said Monday that the violent rite of passage should be considered a heinous crime.

“I think hazing is a heinous crime,” Albayalde said in a press briefing at Camp Crame in Quezon City, adding that it is a planned activity.

“It’s murder, basically. Hazing is basically plain and simple murder,” he said.

During the same press conference, Albayalde admitted being subjected to hazing when was also a PMA cadet. Albayalde is a member of the PMA Sinagtala Class of 1986.

And even as he maintains that hazing is unconstitutional, Albayalde also thinks that it is, in fact, a “matter of personal perception.”

“You know, hazing is a matter of personal perception, parang (just like) accusation. These are all matters of personal perception on how you will accept it as a person and how you will accept it as a cadet,” he said, but stressed that it is only his personal opinion and that the PNP does not tolerate hazing.

READ: Hazing is a matter of perception, PNP chief Albayalde says

In a television interview, Cagayan De Oro 2nd District Rep. Rufus Rodriguez said there is a possibility that hazing will be elevated into a heinous crime to deter further incidents as in the case of fourth-class cadet Darwin Dormitorio who died on September 18.

READ: Police confirm PMA cadet died due to hazing

He said this means that convicts of hazing will also be excluded from reduced prison terms through the Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA) law.

The parents of Horacio “Atio” Castillio III, a law freshman at the University of Sto. Tomas who also died of hazing in 2017, also called on lawmakers to include hazing as a heinous crime.