AFP body to handle cadet’s appeal

Cadet Aldrin Jeff Cudia. PHOTO FROM FACEBOOK

MANILA, Philippines—Armed Forces chief of staff General Emmanuel Bautista has created a special investigation board that would look into the appeal of former Philippine Military Academy (PMA) cadet Aldrin Jeff Cudia who was dismissed after his peers found him guilty of violating their Honor Code last year.

Cudia, however, has yet to submit his appeal to the board, AFP public affairs chief Lt. Col. Ramon Zagala said yesterday.

“There’s no timetable given to the board but it would resolve the issue the soonest possible time,” Zagala said.

Maj. Gen. Crisologo Nayve, deputy chief of staff for communication, electronics, and information systems, heads the five-man board.

The other board members include the Office of the Inspector General, Provost Marshall, Judge Advocate General’s Office, and the Joint Peace and Security Center.

Zagala said there had been instances when special investigation boards were created to look into cases involving military units.

“But this is the first time that an investigation board was formed to look into a case of an individual,” Zagala said.

Bautista formed the board on orders of President Aquino as commander-in-chief, who met with Cudia and his family in Baguio City last Saturday.

After a two-hour meeting at the Presidential Mansion, Aquino decided that Cudia would not join the graduation ceremonies of his Siklab Diwa Class of 2014 scheduled the next day because of the former cadet’s incomplete academic requirements.

However, Aquino gave Cudia the chance to appeal his case after the latter raised more issues surrounding his dismissal.

This is the second time that Cudia was given the opportunity to make an appeal.

A Facebook post of Cudia’s sister last February generated public support, prompting Bautista to order a review of the Honor Committee’s decision.

However, the PMA’s appeals board also upheld the Honor Committee.

Cudia had been fighting his dismissal from the PMA after his fellow cadets that constituted the Honor Committee determined that he violated the Honor Code for lying about why he was tardy for class last November.

Cadets in all military training schools in the country adhere to the Honor Code that states: “Cadets do not lie, cheat, steal and tolerate those who do.”

Cudia maintained his innocence and accused the Honor Committee of violating the Honor Code themselves after one member changed his vote from not guilty to guilty.

Under the honor committee’s rules, there should be a unanimous 9-0 guilty verdict. The initial vote for Cudia was 8-1, but after members of the honor committee discussed their vote like a jury, the cadet who initially voted not guilty changed his vote to guilty.

Col. Rozzano Briguez, the PMA commandant of cadets, however, explained that the Honor Committee rules allowed a jury type of discussion (called “chambering”) when the vote is 7-2 or 8-1, which happened in Cudia’s case.