HAPPIER TIMES Police Patrolman Jaypee Ramores, 32, and Armie Alcanzo, 28, are set to be married next year but tragedy struck. Ramores died on July 26 following an alleged hazing incident involving his fellow policemen in Masbate province. —PHOTO FROM JAYPEE RAMORES FACEBOOK
LEGAZPI CITY — The police in Bicol region filed criminal and administrative charges on Thursday, August 4, against two officials and 19 personnel of the 503rd Maneuver Company of the Regional Mobile Force Battalion (RMFB) in Masbate province in connection with the death of Patrolman Jaypee Ramores allegedly due to hazing.
The Police Regional Office (PRO) 5 filed the charges against the 21 police officers of the said unit for violating Republic Act (RA) 11053 which amended RA 8049 or the Anti-Hazing Act of 2018 at the Masbate prosecutors office.
Police Major Maria Luisa Calubaquib, spokesperson of Bicol police, said the administrative case of grave misconduct was also filed by the Regional Internal Affairs Service against the suspects.
They were earlier relieved from their posts and were placed under the custody of RMFB 5 in Camp Simeon Ola in Legazpi City in Albay province.
Ramores, 32, a resident of Talisay town in Camarines Norte, died while being treated at the Ticao District Hospital in San Jacinto town in Masbate around 9:30 p.m. on July 26.
He had severe bruises, burns on his chest, wounds on his feet and knees and other body injuries.
The autopsy conducted by the hospital on July 28 revealed that the victim died due to cardiorespiratory arrest, deep vein thrombosis secondary to pulmonary embolism, and multiple physical injuries secondary to blunt trauma, but the 503rd Maneuver Company reported that he died solely of cardiorespiratory arrest, and urine and blood infection with severe high blood pressure.
“This unit also encourages other personnel who have experienced the same to speak out and let their voices be heard. PRO 5 aims not only to serve justice to the victims but also to end these derogative and offensive initiation rites,” PRO5 said in a statement.