It's final: PNoy affirms Cudia's dismissal

MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang has affirmed a decision by the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) to dismiss former cadet Aldrin Jeff Cudia, shattering his hopes of getting a diploma from the country’s premier source of armed forces officers.

In a letter addressed to Cudia's parents dated June 11 and obtained by reporters Friday, Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. said there was no substantial basis to overturn the findings of the military and the PMA Cadet Review Appeals Board.

"There is no competent evidence to support the claim that the decision of the Honor Committee members was initially at 8 'Guilty' votes and 1 'Not Guilty' vote," Ochoa said in the letter.

Ochoa said the lone affidavit of an officer based on his purported conversation with an honor committee member, was "hearsay at best."

Last February, an honor committee composed of cadets from different classes found Aldrin Jeff guilty of violating the PMA Honor Code after he entered a class two minutes late and allegedly lying to justify it.

Lying is a grave violation of the time-honored code and merits dismissal. A unanimous vote by the honor committee is needed to dismiss a cadet.

Cudia’s camp, however, claimed that the honor committee ganged up on the cadet as it initially voted 8-1 but changed it to 9-0.

Commander Junjie Tabuada, head of the PMA Naval Warfare department, has submitted an affidavit stating that the voting was changed in favor of Cudia’s dismissal. Tabuada claimed that an honor committee member had admitted to him that he was pressured to change his vote.

Cudia’s camp had urged the PMA administration to reverse his dismissal, saying the Honor Committee had committed "grave abuse of discretion." The academy, however, reaffirmed the decision of the Honor Committee.

The Cudia family had also asked the Supreme Court to intervene in his case and to allow him to graduate. The high court, however, did not issue a temporary restraining order on his dismissal.
                                    
On the eve of the PMA graduation day, the Cudias asked  Aquino to allow him to join the graduation ceremony.

Aquino rejected the request but ordered the Armed Forces of the Philippines to reinvestigate his case.

As a result, Cudia was not able to join his classmates in PMA “Siklab Diwa” Class of 2014 who marched during the graduation rites last March 16. He could have been the top Navy cadet and second-ranking student in the batch.

Ochoa said the decision to reaffirm the PMA board's decision was guided by the precept that military law is regarded to be in a class of its own.

"Thus, this Office regarded the findings of the AFP Chief, particularly his conclusion that there was nothing irregular in the proceedings that ensued, as carrying great weight," he said.