MANILA, Philippine — A Baguio court ordered the transfer of three Philippine Military Academy cadets who are facing criminal charges over the fatal hazing of Cadet 4th Class Darwin Dormitorio in 2019 to its city jail.
Baguio Regional Trial Court Branch 5 ordered that Cadet Third Class (3CL) Shalimar Imperial Jr., 3CL Felix Lumbag Jr. and 3CL Julius Carlo Tadena “be detained at the Baguio City Jail” as the court resolves the Armed Forces of the Philippine’s motion to retain their custody.
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The PMA holds custody over Imperial, Lumbag and Tadena while they undergo court-martial trial over administrative cases they also face.
READ: 7 PMA cadets face court martial over hazing death
The prosecution is due to file a Rejoinder on the AFP’s Reply. After the submission, the motion is considered submitted for resolution.
Imperial and Lumbag are facing murder charge over Dormitorio’s fatal hazing, while Tadena was indicted on a violation of the anti-hazing law and less serious physical injuries.
No bail was recommended for the three PMA cadets.
Earlier in July, the court also issued a warrant for the arrest of Capt. Flor Apple Apostol, Maj. Maria Ofelia Beloy and Lt. Col. Ceasar Candelaria, who also face murder charges over their “gross failure to provide adequate medical care to Dormitorio” which caused his death.
Apostol and Beloy are PMA doctors while Candelaria was commanding officer of the PMA hospital. The court set their bail at P200,000.
Dormitorio, a 20-year-old cadet from Cagayan de Oro, died due to hazing on Sept. 18, 2019. He was considered the first casualty of hazing after the tougher anti-hazing law was signed last year. — Kristine Joy Patag