After five long years, the Dormitorio family has finally achieved justice after the suspects in the killing of Philippine Military Academy (PMA) cadet Darwin Dormitorio were found guilty last friday, August 16, 2024.
In a 42-page decision by the Regional Trial Court 1st Judicial Region Branch 5 in Baguio City, Shalimar Imperial, Felix Lumbag Jr., and Julius Carlo were found guilty of violating Republic Act 11053, also known as the Anti-Hazing Law. Additionally, Imperial. and Lumbag Jr. were found guilty of murder on September 18, 2019.
Darwin's mother, Jasmine Dormitorio, expressed her deep gratitude that after five years, their long-awaited justice has finally been served.
“We got what we wanted, [but] I am not happy with the results because I also feel sorry for the parents. For many years, I didn’t speak, I didn’t even attend the hearings, I couldn’t bear to hear how they kicked my son [in the video footage],” Dormitorio said.
However, the family was saddened that Darwin's father could not witness the verdict as he passed away just a month ago.
“My husband had a cardiac attack, and maybe one of the contributing factors was this case, because before he died, he said he felt guilty about what happened to our son,” she explained tearfully.
The three suspects face the penalty of Reclusion Perpetua, or imprisonment of up to 40 years. Lumbag Jr. and Imperial were also ordered to pay a fine of three million pesos each for violating the Anti-Hazing Law and 150,000 pesos each to the Dormitorio family for indemnification and moral damages, along with 25,000 pesos each for temperate damages.
Although the Dormitorio family has achieved justice, they, along with AFP Chief of Staff Romeo Brawner, are calling for an end to hazing within the academy.
“It should become a matter of policy, not just a battle cry. The court has proven that the Anti-Hazing Law is applicable,” stated Darwin's brother.
They also seek to win the case filed in the Philippine Regulatory Commision (PRC) against PMA Hospital clinical physicians after an alleged negligence and the administrative case filed against the academy officials in the Ombudsman.