Cudia won’t join today’s PMA graduation rites

FORT DEL PILAR, Baguio City, Philippines – Cadet First Class Aldrin Jeff Cudia will not join today’s graduation rites at the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) even if President Aquino reverses the academy’s decision to dismiss him.

PMA Cadet Commandant Col. Rozzano Briguez said the President’s reversal of the decision of the Cadet Review and Appeals Board (CRAB) is not enough because Cudia has yet to finish his on-the-job-training (OJT).

He said Cudia did not participate in the OJT for Navy cadets at the Philippine Merchant Marine Academy in Zambales from Feb. 20 to March 2.

“This year no. Categorically he cannot graduate,” Briguez told reporters.

He said Cudia also failed to satisfy all requirements for the prescribed course of study.

He said the CRAB denied Friday night Aldrin’s appeal to overturn his dismissal from the PMA.

“The (PMA) superintendent recommended the original recommendation which is to uphold the class-1 or the administrative separation punishment for Cadet Cudia, for violation of the Honor Code,” he said.

Briguez said Cudia could graduate in 2015 if the President decides not to dismiss him and he completes the OJT requirement.

“He must satisfy again all the requirements for the prescribed course of study, Bachelor of Science, and he must complete his on-the-job-training. He can complete it next year,” he said.

Favorable decision

Meanwhile, Cudia’s family remains hopeful that the President will grant them a favorable decision.

“Dear President, we urge you, we ask for your mercy and we hope you will grant justice to my son. He did not do anything wrong. The Honor Committee composed of his fellow cadets was the one that erred in issuing that verdict against our son,” Aldrin’s mother Filipina told reporters in a chance interview.

Filipina wants her son to join other members of the “Siklab Diwa” Class of 2014 in today’s graduation rites.

“It is very important. He worked hard in the last four years just to graduate,” she said.

‘Beyond his control’

Public Attorneys Office chief Persida Acosta said Cudia should not be barred from graduating, noting that his failure to complete the OJT was beyond his control.

She said Cudia has been restricted to a holding room since Feb. 20.

“While his room was not locked, the door that serves as the building’s exit was locked so he could not leave without being fetched by officials or cadets,” Acosta said.

“He should not be punished for not undertaking the OJT because he was not in control of the situation,” she added.

Guilty

The PMA Honor Committee found Cudia guilty of violating the Honor Code, a military tradition that says cadets do not cheat, steal or lie or tolerate any of these.

The committee recommended Cudia’s dismissal after he entered a class two minutes late and allegedly lying to justify it.

Cudia’s family members turned to social networking sites to seek public and government support.

The online posts sparked emotional debates, with critics claiming that the PMA Honor Code is outdated. Military officers who are PMA alumni subtly expressed support for the code by making their cadet

photos their profile pictures in their social media accounts.

Cudia’s camp, in asking the PMA administration and military officials to reverse his dismissal, said the Honor Committee committed “grave abuse of discretion.”

Cudia said the committee had forced a member to issue a guilty verdict, confined that member to a chamber and failed to get the statement of a teacher who allegedly released him late from a class.

A native of Arayat, Pampanga, Cudia could have been the top Navy cadet and ranked second among the 207-member class of Siklab Diwa Class of 2014.

Binay to attend PMA graduation

Vice President Jejomar Binay is expected to join the President at the commencement exercises set at 9 a.m. today.

He will confer the Vice Presidential Saber on the class salutatorian.

Binay was in Mountain Province on Thursday for the turnover to Tadian Mayor Anthony Wooden of wheelchairs and medical equipment for the use of senior citizens.

From Tadian, Binay proceeded to Baukon town, where he attended the Begnas Festival and was declared an adopted son of the municipality. – With Jose Rodel Clapano