Academy’s honor committee found him guilty of lying
Fort Del Pilar, Baguio City — The gambit has failed, and the fate of Cadet First Class Aldrin Jeff Cudia is now up to President Aquino. Or a court judge. Cudia and his family challenged the cadet’s administrative separation from the Philippine Military Academy on Feb. 10 after his peers, sitting as the honor committee and the honor court, found him guilty of lying, and voted to have him expelled.
But a review team tasked to examine the committee’s ruling on Cudia’s case has affirmed the earlier guilty verdict, Maj. Gen. Oscar Lopez, PMA superintendent, said here yesterday.
Lopez announced that he signed the report submitted by the Cadet Review and Appeals Board (CRAB) on Monday and sent this to the Armed Forces of the Philippines, which would relay the decision to President Aquino, the commander-in-chief.
“President Aquino was the one who appointed [Cudia] to become part of the PMA Corps of Cadets, so he will be the one to order his separation,” said Capt. Allan Cusi, PMA chief of academy staff.
Lopez acknowledged that the President alone could determine whether Cudia should remain a cadet and may eventually graduate, or should be separated from the service.
Asked if Aquino can overturn the PMA findings and reinstate Cudia, Cusi said: “I don’t want to speculate… Of course the President has the final decision and whatever decision [he makes], we will abide (by it).”
Lopez yesterday introduced this year’s top 10 cadets of PMA Siklab Diwa Class of 2014, of which Cudia was a member. The press conference for the announcement of the top 10 graduates was originally scheduled for Monday, but was moved to Tuesday with no explanation.
Cudia was put on honor report (a complaint involving the violation of the Honor Code) after he was accused of lying to justify a two-minute class tardiness. His explanation did not match with the excuse given by three other cadets who were also late for class.
The Honor Code bars all cadets from “lying, cheating, stealing or tolerating anyone who does so.” Lying is a major code violation.
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