MANILA, Philippines — A new batch of cadets from the Philippine Military Academy were brought to a military hospital in Metro Manila last week, more than two weeks since the death of plebe Darwin Dormitorio due to hazing.
But Maj. Reynan Afan, spokesperson of the PMA, said that this fresh group of cadets who were brought to the V. Luna Medical Center in Quezon City did not suffer maltreatment.
“Since PMA station hospital is considered as an infirmary with limited personnel and equipment, we had to rely on V. Luna hospital for normal refraction and ortho check-ups,” he told INQUIRER.net.
Some of these cadets, he said, suffered injuries from ball sports in the recent intramurals in the academy.
Based on the list provided by Afan, one cadet suffered a hip sprain; one was diagnosed with compound myopic astigmatism; one was being considered for ligamentous knee injury; one had a fracture in inferior pubic ramus; while there were five cadets diagnosed with “error of refraction.“
Three of these cadets will need to undergo an MRI scan and orthopedic care. All the cadets on the list were not identified for their privacy.
On Sept. 18, Dormitorio died of injuries from hazing in the hands of his fellow cadets. At least three cadets were later brought to Manila also due to maltreatment.
Those directly responsible to Dormitorio’s death have been identified by authorities and will soon be facing criminal charges, police said.
The country’s premier military school faced public scrutiny after the death of the 20-year-old cadet, prompting them to promise reforms on its policies.
/atm