Deceased cadet’s messages say hazing ‘normal’ at maritime academy

Philippine Merchant Marine Academy Cadet Fourth Class Jonash Bondoc.

Jelou Bondoc

MANILA, Philippines — Hazing and other forms of violence against cadets is “normal” at the Philippine Merchant Marine Academy, said one of its cadets in messages sent to friends and family before he died and presented by his family before the House panel on higher and technical education on Tuesday.

“Normal lang ang hazing dito kuya. ‘Wag mo na sabihin kay mama ha. (Hazing is normal here, brother. Don’t tell mom,)” said Jonash Bondoc, a 4th Class Cadet who was found dead inside a bathroom in the PMMA campus after supposedly being punched twice in the chest by a senior cadet, in a message to his older brother Joshua last November 24, 2020.

Jonash sought to allay Joshua’s concern over his confession that hazing is normal in PMMA by saying that senior cadets know how to control themselves and are only testing whether junior cadets are strong.

Full Story: https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2021/11/23/2143300/deceased-cadets-messages-say-hazing-normal-maritime-academy