President Rodrigo Duterte appointed Major General Bartolome “Bob” Bacarro, an official involved in the death of a Philippine Military Academy (PMA) cadet, as the military’s Southern Luzon Command (SolCom).
According to Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, Duterte signed the appointment of Bacarro on Monday. Bacarro will replace Lieutenant General Antonio Parlade Jr. that will retire on July 26.
“Yes, his appointment has been signed. Signed on 28 June. Assumption is on 26 July, the day Gen. Parlade retires,” Lorenzana told GMA News Online in a text message.
Bacarro resigned from being the commandant of cadets in the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) in 2019 after the death of Cadet 4th Class Darwin Dormitorio.
In July 2020, Regional Trial Court First Judicial Region Branch 5 of Baguio City released arrest warrants against the three Philippine Military Academy (PMA) cadets and doctors accused of killing Cadet 4th Class Darwin Dormitorio.
The court also ordered the arrest of former PMA Station Hospital chief Lieutenant Colonel Ceasar Candelaria and medical officers Captain Flor Apple Apostol and Major Maria Ofelia Beloy, who are also facing murder charges.
Duterte appoints official involved in death of PMA cadet as SolCom chief
The arrest warrant issued by Presiding Judge Maria Ligaya Itliong-Rivera yesterday, July 7, said military doctors Candelaria, Apostol, and Beloy could post bail at P200,000.
Prosecutors earlier dismissed charges against then PMA Superintendent Lt. Gen. Ronnie Evangelista and Brig. Gen. Bartolome Vicente Bacarro.
Cadet 4th Class Darwin Dormitorio experienced a 24-hour experience of hell because of dying due to hazing inside the PMA.
Despite being physically fit and robust, Dormitorio’s body gave up due to the severe beating he suffered.
It was learned that a 2nd Class Cadet pulled out Dormitorio and kicked him in the head and other parts of his body while he was in severe stomach pain.
PMA cadet officials first exposed that Dormitorio lost 1st Class Cadet Axl Sanupao’s boots. Sanupao then tasked Cadet 3rd Class Shalimar Imperial and Felix Lumbag to punish Dormitorio.
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