Medical exam of police trainees confirms injuries

Bruises on their feet and the back of their legs confirmed injuries suffered by seven female police officers who complained of “hazing” during counter-insurgency training in a police camp in Sibonga town, Cebu.

The result of the medical examination of the complainants forms part of their onoging investigation, said the National Police Commission 7 (Napolcom-7) spokesman Zandro Ronnie Oriol.

“We need to investigate whether the bruises were acquired while they were doing rigid training,” said Oriol in Cebuano.

He said the women could have gotten the bruises from physical exercises and drills.

The PNP’s Special Counter-insurgency Operation Unit Training (Scout) teaches police officers anti-insurgency and anti-terrorist tactics.

The women, who filed an official complaint with the Napolcom on July 13, alleged that sticks were used to hit the soles of their feet as “punishment” for violations of training rules like using a cellphone in the camp, arriving late for formation or failing to prepare lunch in the mess hall.

Oriol said if it’s proven that the bruises were the result of “hazing”, the three accused assistant instructors of the Police Regional Office – 7 Regional Special Training Unit (RSTU) could be suspended up to 90 days, demoted or dismissed from service depending on the gravity of the offense.

“If there is probable cause that the anti-hazing law was violated then a case will be filed,” said Oriol.

The three assistant instructors were pulled out from the training camp last Tuesday on orders of Chief Supt. Marcelo Garbo, head of the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7), pending investigation.

PO2 Milinie Francisco, PO2 Diana Paghasi-an and PO1 Wilmore Alvarado denied hitting the trainees in the feet with bamboo sticks.

They said the disciplinary action they applied was “purely regular training” and not hazing.

The seven female complainants are among 170 police officers on training at the RSTU in Camp Ceferino Genovia in Sibonga town.