‘Hazing victims’ back in camp, 3 trainers relieved

THE  seven female police  officers   who complained of hazing resumed  their 45-day scout training at the Camp Ceferino Jenobia Regional Special Training Unit (RSTU) in Sibonga town, southern Cebu.

The three assistant instructructors they filed a complaint against have been “excluded”, said Chief Supt. Marcelo Garbo, head of the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7).

“I have caused the exclusion of the trainers.  They are no longer training staff. It has the same effect as relieving them from their post,” said Garbo.

The three were  pulled out from the training camp last Tuesday.

They faced the media yesterday to deny the accusations.

PO2 Milinie Francisco, PO2 Diana Paghasi-an and PO1 Wilmore Alvarado said they used disciplinary actions but denied hitting trainees in the feet with sticks.

They insisted that what they did was “purely regular training” and not hazing.

Franisco said that in her three years as  assistant instructor, this was the first time she was the subject of a complaint.

“We advised them (the complainants) to continue their training as we look into  corrective measures,” said lawyer Resty Sibay, coordinator of the National Police Commission in Central Visayas (Napolcom-7).

The seven  women  – PO2 Marivic Cempron, PO2 Janell Junco, PO2 Raymunda Moreno, PO2 Marcelina Bautista, PO2 Christena Pineda, PO1 Hyacinth Rose Renoblas, and PO1 Analyn Taer, together with two coordinators of Napolcom-7, lawyers Sibay and Aloha Peñaranda went to the Sibonga police precinct last July 13 to file the complaint against the assistan instructors.

The women said  the assistant instructors beat the soles of their feet with a bamboo stick as punishment on three occasions on July 6, 8 and 12.

This was the “penalty” given after an assigned colleague would fail to prepare lunch at the mess hall, for a trainee  caught with a cell phone and for arriving late in formation.

The seven female trainees were among 170 police trainees taking up scout training at the RSTU.

Sibay said that if medico-legal exam results prove the women’s complaints, the police officers would face administrative and criminal charges for violating the Anti-Hazing law.

Garbo received a report from Napolcom-7 last Sunday and  went to Sibonga on Monday to speak with Senior Insp. Dexter Calacar, training staff coordinator of RSTU. He  ordered an investigation.

The inquiry will be made by  Supt. Audie Villacin, chief of the Regional Intelligence and Detective Management Division.