THE Cadet Corps of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (CCAFP) of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) admired the dedication and responsibility shown by Class Baron Cadet 1st Class Ram Navarro for stepping down as brigade commander.
Captain Cheryl Tindog, newly installed PMA public information officer, said the gesture shown by Navarro manifests his intention to be part of the positive development and reforms of the academy after the death of Cadet 4th Class Darwin Dormitorio due to hazing.
"By virtue of command responsibility, Cadet 1st Class Ram Navarro relinquished his position as the brigade commander of the Corps to allow fresh start for Cadet 1st Class Marion Cordova to initiate reforms and adhere to PMA Superintendent Rear Admiral Cusi's guidance for the corps to be warriors with a heart and soul," Tindog said.
The class baron is the first captain and, unofficially, the president of the whole class. According to the PMA Gazette, the baron is "the immediate assistant of the commandant of cadets in the discipline, interior administration, training and general efficiency of the cadet corps."
"PMA lauds and admires the voluntary relinquishment by Cadet 1st Class Navarro of his post as brigade commander of the Cadet Corps Armed Forces of the Philippines of the Philippine Military Academy. His selfless act of stepping down from his esteemed and coveted position of leadership in the cadet corps as baron is not only commendable but worthy of citation and emulation," Tindog added.
A few days after Dormitorio's death, Navarro, a native of Laguna, issued a manifesto condemning the incident, calling it "an insult to the sanctity of humanity and as an untoward act that destroys the core values that blind the cadet corps together as brothers and sisters."
"As a future officer under training who will be graduating in a few months, this unilateral gesture by Cadet Navarro manifests how deeply he has imbedded this early, the tenets of command responsibility. The PMA will continue to be an institution committed to character development," Tindog said.