MANILA, Philippines - The controversy surrounding the dismissal from the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) of its second top graduating cadet Aldrin Jeff Cudia is far from over.
The PMA leadership and members of the cadet corps were surprised by the filing of counter charges against nine officers of the Honor Committee by Cudia on Friday.
The Honor Committee earlier ordered his dismissal after he was found guilty of violating the academy’s Honor Code.
Cudia was scheduled to graduate next month as salutatorian of PMA Silab-Diwa Class of 2014.
“It was the decision of the cadet corps to ostracize him because they do not like what Cadet Cudia is doing,†PMA spokesman Maj. Agnes Lynnette Flores said.
Flores said Cudia has been placed in the academy’s holding center.
“He is not being treated as a prisoner or detainee. Since he has been administratively discharged, he can go anytime. We only want to ensure that he is safe from any harm,†she said.
Flores said a separate Honor Committee will be convened to validate the case filed by Cudia. It will also determine whether members of the committee that ordered his dismissal erred and violated the honor system.
In an ABS-CBN News report, Cudia said that members of the committee also lied and cheated after he found out that the result of the initial voting had acquitted him, but the decision was later changed.
Cudia alleged there was one committee member who voted “not guilty.†Under the Honor Code rules, one not guilty vote is enough to merit the acquittal of an accused.