A Philippine Military Academy (PMA) cadet died in a hospital after falling from a 20-foot ceiling of Yap Hall inside Fort Del Pilar in Baguio City shortly before noon Monday.

Reports said Cadet Fourth Class Abigail Manuel Tolentino, 19, native of Kabacan, Cotabato was declared dead by Baguio General Hospital doctors at 4:30 p.m. because of skull fractures and massive cerebral hemorrage.

Tolentino is a member of the team preparing the lighting requirements for the ringhop activity of the graduating class of PMA.

Reports claimed that Tolentino was trying to attach wires for the lanterns inside the ceiling frame when he lost balance and fell.

He was rushed by fellow cadets to the PMA Station Hospital and was later transferred to the Baguio General Hospital.

Doctors tried to save Tolentino by removing a blood clot in his head.

The victim's body was initially brought to La Paz Funeral Homes in Baguio City.
ABS-CBN News

This is so sad. A girl even?

One less senior to graduate...my prayers...RIP

Referred in the article as a 'he' - Abigail - rather unsusual name for a male.




:armycry:

Not a senior. A plebe. Kawawa naman. The poor parents and family back in Mindanao.

Safety precautionary measures should be reviewed in the academy.

That sort of accident could have been prevented if proper procedures and supervision was maintained.

What a pity situation for a young man still on the course of his studies to defend our country die prematurely in an accident highly preventable.

PMA: Plebe's death due to pneumonia
05/08/2007 | 08:16 PM

The Philippine Military Academy (PMA) said Tuesday severe pneumonia was the cause of death of the 17-year old plebe who was brought to Armed Forces of the Philippines Medical Center (formerly V. Luna Hospital) in Quezon City from a military hospital in Baguio.

In a statement, PMA information chief Captain Dennis Solomon said there were no indications of foul play on the death of Cadet John Limuel Burcer based on their initial findings and in consultation with AFPMC.

He said Burcer was confined at the PMA Station Hospital last April 27 because of pneumonia. The cadet was brought to the Baguio General Hospital the next day because of difficulty in breathing.

Burcer was brought back to PMA Station Hospital on May 1 after the doctors observed a marked improvement in his condition.

"Laboratory results conducted by doctors from PMA showed lowered resistance which prompted them to evacuate Cadet Burcer to the AFP Medical Center this morning," Solomon said.

Burcer's parents said they do not want to speculate on the death of their son as the autopsy is set to be conducted Tuesday night.

They, however, expressed resentment that the PMA authorities did not immediately inform them of the health condition of their son.

"Bakit hindi man lang po sila nag-inform sa amin, kailangan pa po namin malaman sa iba. Kung nagkataon po pala na hindi ako agad umalis ng bicol dadatnan ko yung anak ko dito malamig na bangkay," Burcer’s mother said in GMA's 24 Oras news program.

Gregorio Burcer, father of cadet John Limuel, earlier told GMANews.TV that only last Sunday, they were informed that even though their son has cough and colds, there was no need to worry since his son was already recovering.

On Monday, however, Burcer said he received another call that his son will be airlifted to Manila to have his condition checked.

He said his wife immediately left their house in Bicol to attend to his ailing son. When his wife arrived at the hospital, their child was still alive and told her that he does not want to return to PMA once he recovers.

"Maraming gustong sabihin, maraming gustong ikwento yung bata kaya lang sobrang mahina na siya," the elder Burcer said.

The younger Burcer died hours after his mother arrived. His body is now at the morgue of the military hospital.

Gregorio said they found no bruise on the body of their son but he noticed that his feet were swollen.

An elder sister, Gregylyn, said her brother arrived early Tuesday morning at the AFPMC where he subsequently died about 10 a.m.

In an earlier telephone interview, PMA superintendent Maj. Gen. Leopoldo Maligalig stressed that cadet Burcer was no victim of foul play.

Citing his conversation with Brig. Gen. Efren Veran, commanding general of the Armed Forces Medical Center, Maligalig said cadet Burcer's death could be most likely due to complications from pnuemonia.

"There is no foul play, I can assure you that. In fact, he (Burcer) had been confined in our (PMA) hospital for 10 days prior to being evacuated to Manila," Maligalig said.

John Limuel entered the PMA last April 1. He was a student of Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) in Sta. Mesa, Manila for three semesters before he was accepted at the military school. - GMANews.TV

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/41489/PMA-Pleb...ue-to-pneumonia

^ well, i think the media is again trying to paint a picture of foul play or "hazing" happening inside PMA. damage control mode, anyone? :headbang: :drunk:

how come it was not immediately diagnosed, dba pneumonia is a lingering disease, curable if detected soon? is the health facility in PMA not satisfacotry?

shades of ensign philip pestaño?! :nono:

If suspicions confirmed, my advise is too practice tolerance on eccentrics and people with idiosyncracies. Learn to love and forgive each other, lads. The pernicious rupture that Honasan has wrought-up is baneful enough to abet foul plays, etc in the PMA. Anybody who does know how to forgive his brethren (fellow PMAers) is worse than a murderer and God will never forgive (Bible). Lighten up, lads! Vent them all on enemies of the state, criminals, terrorists! I'll be your number one instigator-supporter if you do.