Dormitorio hazing case haunts Bacarro’s appointment as new Solcom chief

The death of Philippine Military Academy 4th class cadet Darwin Dormitorio in 2019 has haunted the confirmation of Major General Bartolome Vicente Bacarro’s appointment as the new Southern Luzon Command (SolCom) chief.

The Commission on Appointments (CA) on Wednesday confirmed the nominations and the ad interim appointments of 39 senior military officers, except for Bacarro's.

Citing lack of material time, the CA will continue the evaluation of his appointment on September 15.

The bicameral panel, however, has thoroughly discussed the new Solcom chief’s appointment after the cadet's family opposed his confirmation.

Dexter Dormitorio, Darwin's brother, appeared before the CA to express “strong opposition” to Bacarro’s appointment.

He told the lawmakers, who sit as members of the CA, that hazing “seemed to have flourished” during Bacarro’s term as commandant of cadets of the PMA.

TIMELINE: The last days and final hours of Darwin Dormitorio

“Looking back [in] hindsight, the untimely demise of Dormitorio was the result of several missed opportunities and a series of mishandling of facts and decision-making,” Dexter said.

“Will we entrust Major General Bacarro with the heavy responsibility of a three-star general and the entire Southern Luzon when his track record shows that he failed miserably in PMA, an assignment considerably less difficult by military standards with a population only exceeding 1,000?” he asked.

Dexter added that Bacarro’s sterling record before Darwin's death does not “remove the fact” that his brother’s life was claimed due to the military officer’s “ineptitude as a leader and decision maker.”

He said their opposition to his appointment was not a “demolition job” nor a “promotion of culture of hate and revenge,” adding that his family remained silent and focused in their legal battle when Bacarro was promoted to the rank of major general.

However, Dexter said, another promotion for Bacarro in a span of less than a year adds to the pain of losing his brother.

Gerarda Villa,  member of Crusade Against Violence whose child died due to hazing 30 years ago, also opposed Bacarro’s promotion, saying this “shows utter disregard to his accountability and negligence” in Dormitorio's death.

“Ito hinihiling namin na i-postpone muna until such time na maliwanagan lahat ang nangyari, but it seems that the promotion will just go on. Kaya hindi tayo matuto hindi pinaparusahan ang mga dapat parusahan,” she said.

[We are asking you to postpone the promotion until such time that Dormitorio’s case is clarified, but it seems that the promotion will just go on. That is why we never learn: we don’t punish those who should be accountable.]

“Please lang, i-ayos natin ang ating rule of law. Ibigay niyo sa deserving, na mas maige,” she told the panel.

[Please, let us fix our rule of law. Give this rank to a more deserving person.]

In his opening statement, Bacarro lamented that he is consistently persecuted for Dormitorio's death, even though he was already cleared by a Baguio City Court.

“To this day, I commiserate with the family…but this grief no matter how sour does not license any one to persistently prosecute another in all venues and platforms without any basis of law or in fact,” Bacarro said.

“As soldiers, our lives revolve around law and order. We comply with rules and adhere to due process. I stood by these ideals at the height of the unfortunate event,” he maintained.

Bacarro told the CA panel that he has “denounced and abhorred” hazing within the PMA, enumerating measures which they implemented to prevent maltreatment among the cadets.

“The oppositors also accused me of indecisiveness, lack of urgency, and negligence which according to them are characteristics a commander should not posses. I understand that these are accusations from a grieving family. However, it pains me that these accusations continue to taint my reputation when the investigation itself had already established the absence of any criminal liability on my part,” he said.

Bacarro said he took exception on the conclusion about his qualifications based on the written complaint against him, instead of his track record as a military man.

“The honorable committee is implored to side on my qualifications based on facts and information not on your perception,” he said.

In June, President Rodrigo Duterte signed Bacarro's appointment as new SolCom chief, replacing Lieutenant General Antonio Parlade Jr. who had retired from service.

Earlier, House Deputy Speaker Rufus Rodriguez called on Duterte to recall Bacarro's appointment.

He pointed out that Bacarro’s new appointment is an injustice to the late PMA cadet, who was his constituent as a resident of Cagayan de Oro.

But Defense chief Delfin Lorenzana defended Bacarro’s new appointment.

“Major General Bartolome Vicente Bacarro went through a rigorous selection process by the AFP [Armed Forces of the Philippines] Board of Generals and found fit to assume a higher position in the AFP,” Lorenzana said in a statement early July.

“The Department of National Defense is confident that Major General Bacarro's expertise and mettle in internal security operations will greatly help in the AFP's mission to secure our communities in Southern Luzon,” he added.

The Baguio City Prosecutor’s Office cleared Bacarro and then-PMA superintendent Lieutenant General Ronnie Evangelista from criminal charges due to lack of probable cause.

Only the PMA cadets, the former PMA hospital chief and two doctors were slapped with charges.

The bicameral commission, meanwhile, approved the following nominations:

• Roland Nerona to the rank of Major General
• Jeffrey Hechanova to the rank of Major General
• Edgar Cardinoza to the rank of Brigadier General
• Leonardo Peña to the rank of Brigadier General
• Bienvenido Casaclang to the rank of Brigadier General

The ad interim appointments of the following officers were likewise confirmed by the lawmakers:

• Rolando Gomez to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Army
• Gilbert Ombos to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Army
• James Fernando to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Army
• John Oliver Gabun to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Army
• Danilo Ambe to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Army
• Isagani Criste to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Army
• Ronie Ebarita to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Army
• Rodel Pangilinan to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Army
• Joseph Madarang Jr. to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Air Force
• Joycelyn Antig to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Air Force
• Norme Omabtang to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Air Force
• Joel Arcilla to the rank of Colonel, Dental Service
• Narciso Nabulneg to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Army
• Charles Catillo to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Army
• Marlowe Patria to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Army
• Arnulfo Cereño to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Army
• Regimor Reyes to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Army
• Johngie Tison to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Army
• Mario Igmen to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Army
• Romeo Jimenea to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Army
• William Uy to the rank of Colonel, Medical Corps
• Xerxes Trinidad to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Army
• Lebrito Olmoguez to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Army
• Dante Robert Grasparil to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Navy-Marines
• Esperanza Casiao  to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Navy-Marines
• Jose Noel Romero to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Army
• Jonjie Juguilon to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Army
• Moh-Yusop Hasan to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Army
• Jimmy Lucquiao to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Army
• Oscar Partuza to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Army
• Rowel Quigao to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Army
• Eddie Radaza to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Army
• Remigio Dulatre to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Army
• Patricio Alejaga to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Army

— BM, GMA News