Bato wants PNPA ‘tradition’ stopped to snip ‘cycle of violence’

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Dir. Gen. Ronald dela Rosa has expressed alarm over the beating incident in the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA), as he called on the school administration to stop the violent tradition.

Dela Rosa confirmed on Monday that six newly-graduated PNPA inspectors of the Maragtas Class 2018 were rushed to the hospital after being beaten by their underclassmen right after the Academy’s commencement exercises on March 21.

“My reaction to that kind of tradition is not good, it’s sad to say, it promotes cycle of violence,” Dela Rosa said in a press briefing at Camp Crame.

“Dahil kung hindi na-stop ‘yang tradition na ‘yan, every year na ‘yan mangyayari ‘yung tinatawag na bawian,” he added.

(Because if that kind of tradition would not be stopped, every year that would already happen, that thing called getting even.)

According to Dela Rosa, the fresh graduates were about to get their things from the barracks after the ceremony when the junior students attacked them.

The victims suffered lacerations but were already discharged from the hospital, the police chief said.

Calabarzon Regional Director Police Chief Supt. Ma O R. Aplasca said the PNPA already launched its internal investigation over the incident last Friday.

Dela Rosa said he had already instructed PNPA President Retired Police Deputy Dir. Gen. Ricardo de Leon to take steps to stop the tradition.

The PNP chief said it was unclear when such ritual started but explained that some PNPA alumni confirmed that it happened at their time.

“Well, I have talked to several alumni, sabi nila, ‘Sir, during our time wala yan. Nawala ‘yan’. Meron din naman nagsabi na nung panahon namin meron niyan, pero nahinto,” he said.

(Well, I have talked to several alumni, they said, ‘Sir, during our time it was gone, it was stopped’. Others said that during their time, there was indeed such practice but was stopped.)

While the police would not launch its own investigation because the PNPA is not under the PNP management, Dela Rosa said they would not stop the parents of the victims from filing criminal charges against those involved in the incident.

The PNPA is under the supervision of the Philippine Public Safety College, which is under the Department of Interior and Local Government.                /kga