Following renewed cases of hazing at the Philippine Military Academy, its commandant of cadets Brigadier General Romeo Brawner Jr. on Saturday promised to strengthen the guidance office of the military school to monitor the mental health of cadets.
Brawner has declared war against hazing following the death of Cadet Fourth Class Darwin Dormitorio, the latest hazing scandal that rocked the country’s premier military school.
Brawner told reporters that strengthening the guidance office will determine whether cadets have experienced traumatic activities at the PMA.
“Ang isa sa mga magiging programa ko bilang commandant of cadets is to strengthen that office kasi kailangan natin talaga to deal with the mental health of our cadets,” Brawner said.
“Dadagdagan natin ang mga tao doon, we will try to come up with programs that would address, let’s say ‘yung trauma na mararanasan ng first year cadets,” he added.
Dormitorio was declared dead on Sept.18. An autopsy conducted on the 20-year-old cadet indicated he suffered bruises in different parts of his body due to hazing.
Police said six suspects would face charges for murder and for violating the Anti-Hazing Law.
Brawner also said he wanted to empower First Class men in the military school so that they could “police their ranks.” He did not elaborate on how to empower the cadets.