Mother of dismissed PMA cadet goes to SC

MANILA, Philippines - Cadet Aldrin Jeff Cudia’s mother asked the Supreme Court (SC) yesterday to order the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) to release his diploma and restore him in the list of its graduates.

In a petition-in-intervention, Filipina Cudia asked that the PMA be ordered to uphold the Honor Committee’s earlier 8-1 voting and compel it to declare her son “not guilty” for alleged violation of the Honor Code, and to restore his benefits as a cadet.

Cudia said an affidavit of Commander Junjie Tabuada, PMA Department of Naval Warfare head, that she submitted to the SC showed that the Honor Committee voted 8-1, not 9-0.

“The affidavit of Commander Junjie Tabuada is enlightening,” read the petition.

“He recalled Cadet First Class Lagura stating, ‘I was sent to the chamber and was asked to justify why my vote was not guilty and I was pressured so I changed my vote, sir.’”

Cudia said Cadet Dalton Lagura admitted to Tabuada that he changed his “not guilty” vote on Cudia after Honor Committee members pressured him.

Lagura’s admission is “vital information” that could shed light on the case of her son, she added.

However, Cudia said she was not able to submit an affidavit from Lagura due to a PMA order prohibiting cadets from speaking about the incident.

“Cadet Cudia cannot access or approach the cadets who were present during his trial and who witnessed the said 8-1 voting result as they are subject to the same order to ostracize,” read the petition.

“This practice of penalizing cadets who violate the order to ostracize is extremely unfair and runs afoul with the basic tenets of due process, which certainly is the bedrock of the trial of Cadet Cudia even when done under the auspices of a closed organization like the Corps of Cadets of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.” 

Cudia attached in her petition Tabuada’s affidavit and the findings and recommendations of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) on its fact-finding investigation into her son’s case.

The CHR recommended the following: allow Cadet Cudia to graduate; for the PMA Honor Committee to uphold the original 8-1 voting on his case; for the PMA to declare him “not guilty” of violating the Honor Code; and for the PMA to restore his benefits as a cadet.

Cadet Cudia has questioned before the SC the PMA decision to dismiss him.

He asked the SC to order his inclusion in the list of graduating cadets in their Siklab Diwa batch and give him the honors and awards he deserves.

He also asked the Armed Forces be ordered to  commission him as a new ensign of the Philippine Navy if all the material requirements for his baccalaureate degree have been completed in time for the March 16, 2014 commencement exercises.

Cadet Cudia was present in the filing of his mother’s petition, but did not give interviews.

Speaking to reporters, Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said they are aware of Cudia’s petition filed before the SC, and that he was awaiting a report on the case from Armed Forces chief Gen. Emmanuel Bautista. 

“It is better to have this kind of process – this is a legitimate means for a citizen to obtain justice,” he said. – Edu Punay, Aurea Calica