3 PMA cadets punished for maltreatment

BAGUIO CITY — The Philippine Military Academy (PMA) claimed that the three cadets involved in maltreating their co-squad member were given appropriate punishments in accordance to the degree they committed.

The victim, identified as Cadet 4th Class Mauee Bumagat Maraggun, alleged that his classmates physically harmed him and made him perform heavy exercises until he collapsed. The cadet was hospitalized at the V. Luna Medical Center in Quezon City and later transferred to the PMA Hospital Station.

Maraggun, 22 year old, was released from the hospital last 30 June.

According to the victim who filed a report to the Baguio City Police Office, the maltreatment against him happened from 2 to 29 September last year inside the PMA barracks. PMA Public Affairs office chief Jesse Saludo said the incident do not fall under the anti-hazing law as it did not take place as part of initiation process and it happened between him and his classmates.

Saludo said his classmates were mad at him as they believed that their squad was affected because of his low performance. He said because of the physical harm they inflicted to Maraggun, the two classmates were suspended. Their squad leader, meanwhile, was meted with maximum disciplinary action because of failure to prevent such incident.

One of the upper-class cadet who was earlier reported as involved in the case according to Saludo, meanwhile, was exonerated after he was found out innocent based on the investigation done by the PMA authorities. The PMA official said that they respect the decision of Maraggun and his family to file a case against the cadets who harmed him.

Meanwhile, the victim, a first-year cadet, is currently on indefinite leave and is set to be discharged from training due to medical reasons unrelated to the incident, based on a review conducted by the Armed Forces of the Philippines Medical Board.