Lorenzana: Medal of Valor awardee Bacarro already cleared of PMA hazing death

MANILA, Philippines—Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Thursday (July 1) said Maj. Gen. Bartolome Bacarro, a Medal of Valor recipient, had already been cleared in a case of fatal hazing in the Philippine Military Academy (PMA), which was being raised as an issue against the replacement of Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade as Southern Luzon Command chief.

Deputy Speaker Rufus Rodriguez was questioning the appointment of Bacarro as Rodriguez said the decorated officer, who was then cadet corps commandant of PMA, has still to answer for the death of cadet Darwin Dormitorio during hazing rites in the military academy.

Bacarro and then PMA superintendent Lt. Gen. Ronnie Evangelista resigned from the academy in 2019 after the death of Dormitorio, citing the principle of command responsibility.

Bacarro was recently appointed to replace Parlade, who will step down as Solcom chief when he retires on July 26. Parlade has become controversial for red-tagging celebrities and activists as a spokesperson of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict.

Rodriguez called for a recall of the appointment, citing the death of Dormitorio.

Lorenzana said Bacarro was already cleared by the Baguio City Prosecutor’s Office of any responsibility for lack of probable cause in the hazing death of Dormitorio.

Bacarro also went through a rigorous selection process by the AFP Board of Generals, Lorenzana said.

“Those responsible for the death of Cadet Dormitorio are now facing criminal charges. It would be an injustice to MGEN Bacarro if he is prevented from moving up in the ladder of command for something that he did not commit,” Lorenzana said.

Bacarro, received the country’s highest military award for combat, the Medal of Valor, after leading an operation to repel a communist guerrilla attack in Isabela in 1991. He is currently the commander of the Army’s 2nd Infantry Division based in Tanay town, Rizal province.

TSB