CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) created a special investigation board to probe the case of dismissed Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Cadet Aldrin Jeff Cudia, AFP spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Ramon Zagala said.
President Benigno Aquino III instructed AFP chief of staff General Emmanuel Bautista to take charge in the investigation of Cudia, who was also interviewed by the Chief Executive during their two-hour meeting at The Mansion on Saturday before the PMA graduation ceremonies.
Cudia was also asked to submit a formal appeal to the AFP regarding his case.
Bautista appointed Major General Crisologo Nayve to head the board.
"They are now in the PMA and there, they will look into the matters that were raised by ex-Cadet Cudia," Zagala said.
Bautista has not set deadline to complete the investigation for the special board tasked to probe the case of Cudia.
Also appointed as member of the board were representatives from offices of the Provost Marshall, the Inspector General, the Judge Advocate General, and the Office of Ethical Standards and Public Accountability.
Zagala declined to name the other members of the board.
Cudia said the Honor Committee, composed of PMA cadets, abused its powers when it decided to expel him from Class 2014.
He said that members pressured a cadet who initially voted to acquit him. A dismissal requires a unanimous vote from committee members.
The committee declared Cudia guilty of violating the Honor Code when he reportedly lied in his explanation of why he was late in one class last year. He appealed the decision but the PMA command upheld the committee's decision.
But for Muntinlupa Representative Rodolfo Biazon, Cudia should find another career and not pursue his dream in the military after he was found violating the Honor Code.
According to Biazon, who is also a PMA graduate and the only 'goat' to became the AFP chief, it is better for Cudia to find another career in the private sector rather than pursue his dream in the uniformed services wherein he will not have a 'fair treatment' after being found guilty of violating the honor code in the PMA.