3 PMA CADETS GET LIFE OVER HAZING DEATH OF DARWIN DORMITORIO

THREE former cadets of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) were found guilty over the death of Cadet Fourth Class Darwin Dormitorio due to hazing in 2019.

Judge Ligaya Itliong-Rivera of the Baguio City Regional Trial Court Branch 5  found Shalimar Imperial, Julius Tadena, and Felix Lumbag Jr. guilty beyond reasonable doubt of murder and hazing.

The three were sentenced to reclusion perpetua or up to 40 years of imprisonment.

Rivera found Imperial and Lumbag guilty of murder and violating Republic Act No. 11053 or the Anti-Hazing Law.

Tadena was guilty beyond reasonable doubt of violating the Anti-Hazing Law.

The court also ordered Imperial and Lumbag to pay a fine of  P3 million each for hazing. 

Aside from the fine, the court also ordered them to jointly pay Dormitorio’s heirs a total of P275,000 or P75,000 in civil indemnity, P75,000 in moral damages, P25,000 temperate damages, and P100,000 attorney’s fees.

Tadena was also asked to pay P2 million as indemnity.

The 20-year-old Dormitorio from Cagayan de Oro was found unconscious in one of the rooms of the PMA Mayo Hall in Fort del Pilar on September 17, 2019.

He was taken to the hospital but he died the following day, September 18.

An  autopsy showed that Dormitorio died due to blunt force trauma.

Based on investigation, he was a victim of hazing and other types of maltreatment.

The Dormitorio family lauded the court’s decision

“All the hard work and sacrifices after five years were all worth it,” the Dormitorio legal counsel, lawyer Jose Adrian Bonifacio said.

“We dedicate the victory to  Darwin and his father, retired Col. William Dormitorio, who has died before the release of the decision,” the lawyer said. 

“I pray that Darwin and his father will finally have peace,” he added.