‘Practice must be stopped’

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Ronald dela Rosa said Monday, March 26, that beating of fresh graduates is an unspoken “tradition” among the cadets of the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA).

“My reaction is that (this) kind of tradition is not good. It’s sad to say, it promotes (a) cycle of violence dahil kung hindi na-stop yang tradition na yan every year na yan mangyayari, ‘yung tinatawag nila na bawian (if the tradition isn’t stopped, it will happen every year, what they call getting back),” he said.

Six new graduates of the PNPA were reportedly beaten up by at least 41 of their underclassmen as they returned to their barracks right after their graduation rites on Wednesday, March 21.

Dela Rosa said the practice is not sanctioned by either the PNPA administration or the alumni association.

“Sa kanila lang yan kaya nga sabi nila wala yan sa panahon namin bakit merong ganun ngayon (It happens only among the cadets. Other officers I have talked to said there was no such practice during their time at the academy),” he said.

Nonetheless, Dela Rosa called on the PNPA management to ensure such “internal tradition” is stopped.

“Well if it continues, then it is alarming. But if it stops, then no cause for alarm,” he said.

He also urged the parents of the victims to allow the PNPA administration to investigate and handle the matter.

Dela Rosa said, however, that he could not stop the parents, especially those of the four severely injured graduates, from filing a complaint.

“Well I have talked to the parents lalo na ‘yung apat na severely injured nakausap ko sila then I advised them please let the PNPA management handle this internal problem dahil this is an internal matter, pag-usapan nila but then again we cannot stop the complainants from filing criminal charges against the suspects if they really want to do that because that is their right,” said Dela Rosa.

PNPA Director Chief Supt. Joseph Adnol said the underclassmen involved in the incident allegedly has personal grudges against their upperclassmen for imposing strict rules on them.

Dela Rosa said the PNP could not investigate the incident without any formal complaint considering that the academy is not under his supervision.