CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief of staff General Emmanuel Bautista has ordered a reinvestigation on the dismissal of Cadet 1st Class Aldrin Jeff Cudia from the Philippine Military Academy (PMA).
Cudia, a native of Arayat, is set to graduate in March as No. 2 in his class at the PMA in Baguio City. He is about to join the Philippine Navy and was also picked as the deputy baron of his class.
He was reportedly found guilty by the PMA Honor Committee for violating the Honor Code, a time-honored military tradition, that states that cadets do not lie, do not cheat and do not steal. The said committee is composed of cadets and cadettes representing their classes in the academy.
Cudia is now being held at the holding center inside the military academy when he was allegedly found lying by the honor committee for coming to his next class two minutes late. He was meted the penalty of 11 demerits and 13 hours of touring.
"A reinvestigation is currently being conducted," AFP Public Affairs Office chief Lieutenant Colonel Ramon Zagala said, after the PMA Honor Committee reportedly disregarded the affidavit of the professor who asked Cudia to stay a while in class.
Clamor for justice on Cudia's case is growing in Pampanga, as his sister Annavee brought her brother’s situation to social media.
She posted in her facebook account, "Isang buwan na syang nakakulong sa holding center. Pinapag-resign na sya. Pinapaalis. Pero ayaw nya dahil nilalaban nya ang tama, dangal at prinsipyo niya. Daig pa nya si (Janet) Napoles. Bawal ang bisita kahit kadete o pati chaplain ng PMA. Inanunsiyo na ng kanilang Commandant na dismissed na siya. At ito ay dahil lamang nahuli siya ng dalawang minute sa klase."
Annavee added, "Nang tinanong si Aldrin bakit siya nahuli, sabi niya sila ay nahuli ng pagdismiss ang propesor nila. Sabi ng Honor Committee ay kasinungalingan daw yun at dapat daw ay sinabi niya ‘pinahintay kami ng propesor pagkatapos ng klase.’ Hindi ba pareho lang naman yun?"
"Dahil ang kasinungalingan daw ay violation ng honor code, dismissal agad ang recommendation ng Honor Committee. Hindi nila pinansin ang written affidavit ng propesor na nagsasabi na tama ang sabi ni Aldrin Jeff na nahuli ang pagdismiss sa kanila," said Annavee.
She also said in her post, "2 MILLION PESOS ang ginagastos ng gobyerno para sa mga kadete ng PMA pero bakit basta-basta na lang sila pinapa-alis? Dahil lamang nahuli ng DALAWANG MINUTO sa isang klase ay hindi siya papayagang mag-graduate?"
Meanwhile, Retired Gen. Francisco Villaroman, PMA Alumni and member of PMA class 1979, said Cudia could join the graduation but he must be ready to face ostracism.
"He has the option to stay but he must be ready to be ostracized by his fellow cadets," Villaroman added.
"Puwede naman siyang makagraudate kung makayanan niya ang pressuring cadet corps. Ang honor code is only binding among cadets. He can also resign if he wishes," the retired general said.