HAZING VICTIMS
Investigation team confirms 18 new cops victims of ‘hazing'

By Jeehan V. Fernandez

Eighteen police officers ( PO ) 1 newly-assigned in the 601 st Company at Brgy . Purisimo , Manapla , Negros Occidental are victims of the alleged hazing committed by their seniors.

The complainants are PO1s Kent L. Diamante, Rolly E. Banas , Felipe O. Buenavista Jr , Al D. Ribo , Jerry E.. Bayabay , Jonar M. Benjamin, Jumar G. Alag , Joeart B. Azucena Jr., Federico A. Lagutang Jr , Arnel A. Ubay , Paulino R. De Asis III, Richard G. Tario , Harold C. Francisco, Roger V. Sermonia , Ariel T. Amorin , Goery G. Lecta , Joseph Rodrigo V. Olis , and Alfred T. Tilano .

Police Regional Office (PRO-6) Health Service chief Quirico V. Acap Jr. noted that he sent a medical officer and members of the Regional Investigation and Intelligence Division (RIID) on February 19 to conduct a medical examination on said neophyte policemen.

In a report, Insp. Ma. Cecilia R. Detablan said that together with one investigator and Insp. Vincent Cavan , M.D. of the Regional Health Service, they conducted investigation on the veracity of the complaint earlier filed by PO1 Diamante.

“All the officers were physically examined by Cavan and found to have fresh hematoma on their abdomens and back thighs. The injuries vary in different sizes. Some suffered severe hematoma which reached down to their back knees,” Detablan cited.

Detablan added that the officers when interviewed alleged that in the afternoon of February 16, they were fetched by Insp. Arnel Arpon at headquarters of 6 th Regional Mobile Group (RMG) . Arpon is a training director.

Upon reaching Victorias Electric Cooperative, they were made to jog and do log roll until they reached the 601 st Company headquarters which is about seven kilometres , Detablan said.

As they arrived, their cellular phones were confiscated and later they were ordered to fix their own tent while others cooked the dinner, she noted.

“At around 6:00 p.m. , they ate their meal and lined-up to brush their teeth using only one toothbrush and a pitcher and were ordered to spit the water back,” Detablan said adding that “when they were through brushing they were again ordered to drink the water they used in brushing”.

Detablan said that the officers were then told to do a formation in front of the building and have them blindfolded with t-shirts and handkerchiefs. “One by one, they were hit with a hard object,” she pointed out.

“Some alleged it was a baseball bat considering that they have seen it earlier and overheard the 601 st personnel calling it ‘bulldog' and the other wood called ‘ taurus ',” Detablan said citing that “most of them were hit twice at the abdomen and three to five times at the back thigh”.

“Others experienced having been boxed several times at their abdomen,” Detablan said. In that whole night, they were not allowed to sleep as they remained in front of the building where some of them were repeatedly hit with a hard object, boxed and urged to do physical exercises, she added.

At around 5:00 a.m. of February 17, they were ordered to clean the surroundings and after breakfast they were told to continue doing the physical exercises, Detablan said. “In the evening, they were again formed where they experienced the same hitting, boxing and strenuous physical exercises,” she added.

“Victim PO1 Banas suffered most from the hands of PO2 Voltaire Sy and PO1 Rey Escanan ,” Detablan said. She added that most of them could not identify their seniors as it was night time and they were blindfolded while “some were able to identify Sy , Escanan and PO1 Rafael Sta. Ana IV”.

“In an interview with Arpon , he alleged that after the officers have eaten their dinner, he went home. He returned the following day and not noticed any unusual incident,” Detablan said.

“When asked to comment on the alleged hazing, he reasoned out that ever since, it has already became a tradition that newly-assigned personnel must undergo the ‘reception' and he is sure that it is not only happening in the 601 st but also in other company of the RMG-6,” Detablan further said.

“However, he claimed that he is not aware that they were physically beaten or paddled of the baseball bat as he had not given any instruction relative to that matter,” Detablan said.

“According to the 18 officers, when they reported at RMG headquarters during the first week of January, they were also subjected to a ‘reception' but were not hit by a baseball bat or any hard object,” Detablan added.

To note, the issue of hazing has long been existent in the police force. Detablan stressed that there should be appropriate disciplinary action against the culprits to prevent the same incident in the future. The PRO-6 will be having an investigation on the said case.