Cudia’s mother urges SC to allow release of son’s diploma

THE mother of dismissed Philippine Military Academy (PMA) cadet 1st Class Aldrin Cudia urged the Supreme Court to extend the same humanitarian consideration given to Senator Juan Ponce Enrile to her son by allowing the release of her son’s academic documents.

In her 12-page motion, Filipina Cudia through counsel Public Attorneys’ Office (PAO) Chief Persida Rueda-Acosta, insisted that the high court should allow the release of her son’s diploma or certificate of completion of academic subject requirements, transcript of records, certificate of good moral character and honorable dismissal and certificate of discharge.

Cudia wants his academic documents released so he can enroll in the University of the Philippines College of Law after passing the Law Aptitude Examination. The high court, however, last April denied his petition.

Acosta said Cudia’s family could no longer afford to re-enroll their son in college due to financial constraints.

She said, what happened to their son took a toll on Cudia’s father, Renato, who suffered a brain stroke and half paralyzing him.

“With Cadet Cudia’s mother unemployed and his father seriously ailing, Cadet Cudia’s re-enrollment for tertiary education would be too difficult for the indigent Cudia family to bear,” Acosta said.

“Cadet Cudia could lose his opportunity to pursue a law degree; and now, given his father’s condition, even his opportunity to finish college is under serious threat,” she added.

“They already killed Mang Renato’s dreams for Aldrin. They no longer allowed Aldrin to become a soldier, and now they also won’t let him to become a lawyer…We are begging to the Supreme Court to take a second look at our case and listen to our plea. All we are asking is the release of the diploma and transcript of records of Aldrin. He has the right to finish his education,” she stressed.

The PAO chief also urged the high court to take a second look at the report of the Commission on Human Rights, which investigated the matter and found out that the PMA honor committee conducted unfair trial on Cudia.

The chief public attorney explained that the high court’s ruling allowing Enrile to post bail in a plunder case over humanitarian consideration could be a “supervening event” in Cudia’s case.

Asked if she expects the SC to consider their plea given that the ruling was already final, Acosta admitted it would be far-fetched.

“But there were previous cases where the court reconsidered already final rulings. And we will fight for Aldrin,” she said, adding that the high court’s ruling on Enrile is proof that the Court exercises its judicial discretion following not only the dictates of the mind but the heart as well.

In defending Cudia, Acosta became very emotional and fainted at the end of the press conference.

“Ang Diyos ay gising; pwede pong gumawa Siya ng paraan sa mga mahistrado natin… ay kumurap-kurap ang kanyang mga mata at tumingala sa langit kung bakit sila nandyan. Itong kaso na ’to, dito pa tayo natalo, samantalang maliwanag pa sa sikat ng araw ang argumento ng PAO sa kasong ito. Talo kami pero ‘di ako papayag; kailangan lumaban kahit man lang sa langit kami manalo,” Acosta said crying.

She lost consciousness and given first aid treatment. It was later learned that her blood pressure was 150/100. Tetch Torres-Tupas