PMA: Plebe's death due to pneumonia
AMITA LEGASPI, GMANews.TV
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
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
