3 ex-cadets sue PNPA for mandamus, damages

CEBU, Philippines - Three dismissed cadets of the Philippine National Police Academy have filed a civil case for mandamus and damages against the officials of the police academy.

Venus Acedillo, Christopher Ruiz, Jr., and Kerbee Torrefiel are asking the court to order the PNPA officials to reinstate them in the training and to nullify their resignation letters.

The complainants, assisted by lawyer Christopher Ruiz, claimed to have been forcibly driven out of the training camp.

 â€œHad it not that they were forcibly driven out from the camp, petitioners would not get out there from, an act which totally contradicted the allegation of loss of interest and/or lack of determination in proceeding with the cadetship program,” the complaint reads.

The three Cebuano former PNPA cadets said that there were more than 80 of them who were dismissed from the academy without valid grounds.

Named respondents were PNPA Director Police Chief Superintendent Noel Constantino, officer-in-charge of the releasing of the PNPA cadets Police Superintendent Hordan Pacatiw, and a certain cadet 2nd class Bacay, all assigned at the PNPA, Camp Gen. Mariano N. Castaneda in Silang Cavite.

Aside from the reinstatement, the complainants are demanding P500,000 damages from the respondents.

The petitioners passed the admission test of the PNPA last year. They were admitted into the academy on May 21, 2013 together with 345 other cadets.

After the oathtaking ceremony, the petitioners said, reception rites followed- a tradition at the police academy.

“…all the new and incoming cadets were ordered to perform series of exercises under the heat of the sun purposely to test their endurance,” the complaint reads.

In the first exercise, the petitioners said they were able to pass but when they were made to perform their first road run inside the academy they were not able to finish the run because of a sudden dehydration, exhaustion and fatigue.

Petitioners said that despite their determination to finish the run, they were all grabbed and escorted away from the rest of their classmates and subjected to a medical check-up.

Thereafter, they said they were brought to ACAD building wherein they were allegedly forced to sign the resignation letter.

The following day, the petitioners said they received a general order stating that they voluntarily resigned from the Cadetship program.

“General orders contained lies to the effect that it stated that petitioners voluntarily tendered their resignation due to loss of interest and lack of determination when in truth and in fact, petitioners were forced to write their names and affixed their signatures thereon,” the complainants said.

The petitioners said they have no intention of resigning from the cadetship program. Moreover, they said they filed a letter of withdrawal and reconsideration but received no response.

“Petitioners have no other plain, speedy and adequate remedy in the ordinary course of law to stop the respondents from excluding petitioners from the use and enjoyment of their office other than this petition for mandamus.” —(FREEMAN)