ROTC cadet dies during war games

SAN FABIAN, Pangasinan — A student of Luna Colleges in Tayug town was mysteriously shot dead while undergoing field training exercise or war games under the Reserved Officers Training Corps. (ROTC) held in a mountainous area in Barangay Rabon this town last Sept. 9.

The casualty was identified as Cadet 3rd Class Samuel Rudico, who belongs to the ROTC Unit in Tayug town, a member of 2nd platoon, 1st company under 105th CDC Army Company.

Rudico’s death came amid persistent calls for the abolition of ROTC by thousands of students all over the country after Mark Welson Chua, an engineering student of the University of Sto. Tomas, was murdered after he exposed alleged irregularities committed against ROTC cadet.

Police authorities are wondering why people managing said field exercise did not immediately report the incident. It was only Monday, at about 10 a.m. that M/Sgt. Julio Mamangon and S/Sgt. Gregorio Macatbag of the 105th CDC Company reported Sunico’s death to the police station here.

They reported that Rudico was hit on the right side of his chest by a stray bullet during the field training exercise and was rushed to the Region1 Medical Center in Dagupan City but was pronounced dead on arrival by attending doctors.

The STAR learned that the war games for the Army reservists and ROTC cadets were under the auspices of military officers at Camp Tito Abat in Manaog town.

The training started on Sept. 7. Reports indicated that no live ammunition would be used.