Vol. XCI No. 8
Oct. 4, 2019
Colonel Allen Rae Co, Baguio City Police Office chief, updated the chronology, from two weeks ago, of the late Cadet Fourth Class Darwin Dormitorio hazing last September 30. The update was a probe into the plebe’s life that revealed an abused life inside the Philippine Military Academy (PMA).
tWS believes that hazing incidents are the main reason why there will always be mistrust against anything that relates to the military, especially to the approved mandatory Reserve Officer’s Training Corps (ROTC) bill. With the update to Dormitorio’s life in the PMA, it has once again rekindled the online grievances to not impose the House Bill (HB). However, we also believe that ROTC is still one of the many ways to inculcate patriotism, nationalism, and encourage involvement in public and civic affairs.
Although the HB still has a long way to go, there is one question that hangs in the air that many young Sillimanians want to be answered: “How can the administrators assure that there will be no hazing inside the Silliman University ROTC unit?”
tWS believes that there should be full transparency to the trainings that go on at the SU ROTC unit, especially with their cadet officers.
tWS takes a stand against hazing and abuse of power or authority. We do not condemn ROTC nor the PMA. We understand meritocracy but we condemn the feeling of toxic superiority over an individual that can lead to abuse.
Service to country. Not service to ego. Stop the hazing.
