FORT DEL PILAR, Baguio City—The dismissal of Cadet First Class Aldrin Jeff Cudia from the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) last month has created a scandal that affected the graduating Siklab Diwa Class of 2014, but one of its top cadets said Cudia remains a “mistah” (classmate).
Cadet First Class Liza Dango, the class salutatorian, said whatever fate awaits Cudia who challenged his dismissal for breaking the Honor Code, he remains a schoolmate like the other cadets in the batch.
Dango spoke to reporters on Tuesday, when PMA officials announced this year’s top graduating cadets.
“We were not that closely acquainted because he (Cudia) belonged to a different company and we had different class schedules,” Dango told reporters here.
When asked how she viewed Cudia, Dango said: “We started out as more than 300 mistah… Now we are down to 223, but we consider everyone a mistah.”
Records showed that some cadets resigned, were asked to repeat a year due to poor grades and multiple demerits, or were dismissed like Cudia.
“It (Cudia’s case) has become a controversial issue, and it just needs to be discussed,” said Dango, the only woman among this year’s top 10 cadets.
The salutatorian said she also expected some comparison with Cudia because of the social media storm that was ignited in February when Annavee, Cudia’s sister, disclosed her brother’s predicament through the social networking site, Facebook.
Annavee’s post described Cudia as the aspiring salutatorian.
“I anticipated the questions because it was brought up in social media that Cudia was supposed to be second on the top 10 list… But when I was informed that I was [class salutatorian], all I can say is that I am worthy of that [status],” Dango said.
Cudia had refused to leave PMA after he was separated from the academy on Feb. 10 for allegedly lying, a major violation of the Honor Code.
Despite the Cudia controversy, the graduating cadets proceeded with an athletic exhibition on Thursday and a graduation ball that same night. Today (March 14, Friday), the graduating cadets will perform a silent drill.
Families of the top 10 cadets also continued to celebrate their children’s achievements.
In Cagayan province, parents of the fourth top performer, Cadet First Class Leo Mac Tuliao, said the cadet helped pull the family out of poverty. Tuliao’s father is a farmer while his mother sells chicken. The family lives in Peñablanca town.
Cadet First Class Christopher Agustin, who took sixth place, is a son of government employees in Tuguegarao City. His father, Carlito, said the family had misgivings about his son’s dream to become a soldier and were surprised he made it to the top 10.
“He never told us about it,” Carlito said.
Community feasts have been prepared for third top cadet, Cadet First Class Billy Codiam, of Tanudan town in Kalinga province, and Cadet First Class Alvin Balangcod, who is ranked 10th, of Kapangan town in Benguet province. Vincent Cabreza with reports from Villamor Visaya Jr. and Frank Cimatu, Inquirer Northern Luzon