By LITO RULONA
Correspondent
with NORA SORINO
GSD-Iligan Bureau .
COUNCILOR Romeo Calizo on Monday called on the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) to ensure that its physical, mental and psychological hardening trainings would conform with the Anti-Hazing Law.
“Very specific sa RA 11053 kung unsa ang gibawal. Klaro kaayo og dili na kini lisod sabton,” said Calizo, a former military official and himself a PMAer.
Calizo said that while PMA is tasked to train and harden future the country’s military leaders, those running the Academy should see to it that the plebes are human beings with limitations.
He said “body contact” during military training is considered “normal” but this should be measured and must not result in deaths.
“Normal lamang ang body contact. During my time, I expected physical contacts. It was expected naa gyu’y ingon ana as part of hardening of people being trained in the military,” he said.
Calizo however there are “unnecessary practices” like fraternity-style hazings that must not be tolerated and condemned.
Hazing, according to Calizo, should not be part of the military training.
“It is OK but hazing sama sa kuryente dili na kana maayo. Apil ang mga unnecessary practices dili na pud kana maayo. During my time, mga cadets 3rd class ang gahimo ani,” he said.
He said physical contacts should only be done for legitimate purposes in order to instill discipline.
“Ang physical contact makatabang during hardening pero dili na usab maayo nga hinugdan nga ikamatay sa usa ka cadet. There should be a specific purpose,” he pointed out.
Meanwhile, Iligan Rep. Frederick Siao joined those who condemned the hazing death of Cagayanon cadet 4th class Darwin Dormitorio.
“This is not a good image of such institution,” said Siao.
The PMA, he said, is expected to be a good training ground for soldiers, and not a breeding ground for deadly hazings.
“There should be a no-nonsense investigation,” he said.
Disclaimer
Mindanao Gold Star Daily holds the copyrights of all articles and photos in perpetuity. Any unauthorized reproduction in any platform, electronic and hardcopy, shall be liable for copyright infringement under the Intellectual Property Rights Law of the Philippines.