PNP alumni on beating incident: Not a tradition

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte delivers his speech during the 39th Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) Commencement Exercises for the ‘Maragtas’ Class of 2018 at Camp General Mariano N. Castañeda in Silang, Cavite on March 21, 2018. KARL NORMAN ALONZO/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

The Philippine National Police Academy Alumni Association Inc. (PNPAAAI) countered the PNP chief’s remark that beating newly graduates is a “tradition,” claiming instead that the recent incident is an “isolated case.”

“There is no tradition of hurting fellow cadets or any person for that matter. What happened was an isolated case and we do not condone such demeanor,” the PNPAAAI said in a statement on Tuesday, March 27.

The association said that it condemns violence and that “such act has no place in the Academy more so in a civilized society.”

Without disclosing names, PhilStar first reported that six PNPA cadets of Maragtas class of 2018 were rushed to the hospital right after their commencement exercises on March 21 at the barracks in Silang, Cavite.

However recent reports identified the mauling victims to be Jan Paul Magmoyao, Arjay Masangkay Divino, Ylam Lambenecio, Mark Villares, Floyd Traqueña, and Arjay Cuasay.

The victims sustained head injuries after being beaten up reportedly by their underclassmen with rocks and paddles.

“We fully support the ongoing investigation and if evidence warrants, they should be held accountable for nobody is above the law,” the association added.

In a press conference on March 26, PNP Director General Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa called the beating a tradition that has to stop.

(Read: Dela Rosa says ‘tradition’ of beating PNPA lowerclassmen should stop)

“Dahil kung hindi na-stop ‘yung tradition na ‘yan, every year na ‘yan mangyayari ‘yung tinatawag na ‘bawian’ (Because if this tradition is not stopped, every year there will be a system of ‘getting back’),” he said.

“Well I have talked to several alumni, sabi nila ‘Sir, during our time wala ‘yan. Nawala ‘yan.’ Meron din naman nagsabi na nung panahon naming meron niyan, pero nahinto (Well I have talked to several alumni, they said, ‘Sir during our time there is no such tradition. It was gone. Some, however, said that during their time, it existed but it was stopped),” Dela Rosa added.