APRIL 22, 2026 — Seven PNPA cadets and two police officers are now facing criminal charges after a brutal hazing ritual involving muriatic acid and drain cleaner left 22 plebes burned and scarred — an incident that has shaken the Philippine National Police Academy and reignited outrage over the persistence of hazing despite the Anti-Hazing Act of 2018.

The case filed before the Imus, Cavite prosecutor’s office names five third-class cadets, two second-class cadets, Police Major Mark Anthony Cailing, and Police Senior Master Sergeant Silverio Dolorfino Jr. as respondents. The victims, all fourth-class cadets, were reportedly punished after being blamed for a resignation issue involving another cadet. 

The “punishment” was grotesque: chemicals meant for bathroom cleaning were applied to their backs, causing burns so severe that some injuries reached the rectum and scrotum.

The fallout was immediate. PNPA Director Maj. Gen. Andre Dizon and eight other officers were relieved of their posts, a reshuffle meant to signal accountability but also exposing how deep the culture of silence and machismo runs inside the academy.

PNP Chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. has vowed “zero tolerance” for hazing, promising reforms and stricter reporting systems. 

“Eradication is a tall order, but it is our goal … malinaw na this will not be tolerated under my leadership,” he said. 

Yet, just days after the April 3 incident, another hazing case surfaced on April 19, where two cadets sustained bruises after being struck by upperclassmen.

This contradiction raises the question: If hazing persists even under the glare of national outrage, what does “zero tolerance” really mean inside the PNPA?

Parents send their children to the academy believing they will be molded into disciplined protectors of the law, not victims of barbaric rituals. Every hazing scandal chips away at the credibility of the police force, already struggling with public confidence.

The Anti-Hazing Act of 2018 was supposed to end this cycle. Yet here we are, still counting victims, still hearing promises of reform. 

How many more lives must be scarred before the institution finally learns? Will we ever see a police academy that truly values discipline over cruelty?

(Image: PNPA - Philippine National Police Academy)