BAGUIO CITY — Investigators are eyeing to file a murder case against six suspects in the hazing death of Philippine Military Academy (PMA) cadet Darwin Dormitorio.
Col. Allen Co, Baguio City police director, said Friday the murder case may likely be added to another case for violation of the Anti-Hazing Law they would file against the suspects: a 1st Class cadet, four 3rd Class cadets, and a 2nd Class cadet.
“We are envisioning the filing of violation of the anti-hazing law and or murder,” Co told reporters in an interview.
He said he believes the murder case would stand since investigation showed there was “evident premeditation” from the suspects to harm Dormitorio, a 20-year-old 4th Class cadet who would have graduated from the state’s premier military school in 2023.
But he said it would still be up to the prosecutor’s office on which appropriate charge should be filed in court.
Co further revealed the police might also file a case of criminal negligence against two medical personnel at PMA station hospital. The medical staff supposedly diagnosed Dormitorio as having urinary tract infection and discharged him after a four-hour observation on September 17. Dormitorio died the next day.
“We are envisioning to file [the case] against certainly one [medical personnel]. It could be two,” he said.
“The questions we need to ask is why UTI [was the diagnosis] and [if they] conducted all necessary test and examinations,” he added.
Co said there could be more cadets involved in the death of Dormitorio aside from those already identified by the police based on the accounts of 16 witnesses.
Police have earlier identified three suspects in the case: Cadet 1st Class Axl Rey Sanupao and Cadets 3rd Class Felix Lumbag Jr. and Shalimar Imperial. They have yet to reveal the names of the remaining three suspects pending further investigation.
The latest addition to the list of suspects in the hazing death of Dormitorio was the 2nd class cadet who allegedly kicked the 20-year-old victim while lying on his upperclassman’s bed at the barracks. The incident allegedly happened after the alleged hazing perpetrated by other cadets and before Dormitorio was rushed to the PMA station hospital.
“He was kicked by this cadet, many times, hard,” said Co./kga