PMA head’s resignation upholds integrity of academy: Palace

Evangelista announced his resignation at a press briefing in Baguio City after leaving it to the proper authority to decide on the finality of the case. (PIA file photo)

MANILA — Malacañang on Tuesday welcomed the resignation of Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Superintendent, Lt. Gen. Ronnie Evangelista following the death of cadet Darwin Dormitorio due to hazing inside the academy.

Evangelista announced his resignation at a press briefing in Baguio City after leaving it to the proper authority to decide on the finality of the case.

“We welcome this development as a right step towards upholding the integrity of the PMA as the country’s premier military institution and recognize the same as a form of genuine delicadeza on the part of Lt.

Gen. Evangelista,” Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in a statement.

The Palace official hoped that all government officials tagged in anomalies within their agency would learn from Evangelista’s delicadeza.

“Sana ganyan yung mga public officials. Pag nagkaroon ng isang insidente sa opisina ninyo (All public officials should be like that. If there are incidents in your office) and you feel that it’s command responsibility e wag na kayo maghintay na bigyan ng insinuation, dapat mag-resign ka (don’t wait for an insinuation, you should resign),” Panelo said in a Palace briefing.

Evangelista’s resignation came a day after Panelo asked him to step down as part of command responsibility.

“I think the superiors in that Academy should be held accountable, from the top to the bottom who are supposed to know what is happening in their Academy. If they cannot stop the hazing, then they have no business staying in their positions. They should be charged administratively, if not criminally,” Panelo said in an interview over a cable television on Monday.

Aside from Evangelista, Brig. Gen. Bartolome Bacarro, the commandant of the cadets, also resigned from his post.

While an investigation is ongoing, Panelo assured no whitewash and that justice will be rendered for those involved in Dormitorio’s death.

“We will, of course, proceed with the investigation and we will prosecute those behind this,” Panelo said.

Dormitorio, whose body reportedly bore bruises, was found unconscious in his room and declared dead on arrival at the hospital last Sept. 18.

To date, Baguio City police have identified and are readying charges against three upperclassmen as persons of interest or suspects while other cadets are under restrictive confinement pending investigation.