SENATOR Sherwin Gatchalian on Monday welcomed the decision of the Baguio City Regional Trial Court, Branch 5, in the case concerning the 2019 death of fourth-class cadet Darwin Dormitorio.

The court found three former Philippine Military Academy (PMA) cadets guilty of murder and violations of the Anti-Hazing Law.

“After several years, justice has finally been served for Darwin Dormitorio. This is an important victory in our fight against hazing, but we still have much work to do to eradicate the culture of violence, especially in institutions like the PMA, where the next defenders of our country are shaped,” said Gatchalian, one of the authors of the Anti-Hazing Act of 2018, or Republic Act No. 11053.

While Gatchalian praised the decision, he emphasized the need for the PMA and other educational institutions to implement stronger measures to prevent further hazing-related deaths.

“We continue to urge the PMA, our schools, and our communities to intensify efforts to combat hazing. We must not allow another life to be lost to this form of violence,” Gatchalian added.

The three cadets involved in Dormitorio’s case were sentenced to reclusion perpetua. The Baguio court found former cadets Shalimar Imperial Jr. and Felix Lumbag Jr. guilty of murder, while former cadet Julius Carlos Tadena was found guilty of violating the Anti-Hazing Law.

The Anti-Hazing Law prohibits all forms of hazing in fraternities, sororities, and organizations, both inside and outside schools. The law also mandates that schools take proactive steps to protect their students from the dangers of hazing.

For prospective members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police, physical, mental, and psychological testing and training procedures will not be considered hazing if approved by the Secretary of National Defense and the National Police Commission.