Yeah it is so that people can't deny their enemy XP by destructing in the middle of a battle. It is a good thing.
Thats a tactically sound decision, to suicide tanks in and self-destruct it. Its a wild card. If you survive the encounter, its on a ticker.... if you die before the ticker goes off, they get the exp.
It'll be very rare to kill yourself right before the last shot.
Thats like saying weapon support teams should not be able to retreat and just suicide... its denying us potential exp and letting them keep their vet.