PMA commandant: Cudia will not graduate because he lacks OJT

Controversial cadet Aldrin Cudia is certain not to march at the PMA commencement this Sunday, but not for the reason that Cudia has been in the news.

The cadet accused of violating the Philippine Military Academy's honor code will not graduate because he did not meet the requirement to do OJT, according to PMA's Commandant of Cadets Col. Rozzano Briguez.

Briguez also said that should Cudia be acquitted in his case, he still would not be able to graduate as he has yet to finish some of his school requirements.

"Hindi pa talaga siya ga-graduate kasi hindi pa siya nakapag-OJT. Incomplete pa po kasi [ang requirements niya]. Ang mayroon lamang siya ay ang kanyang transcript of records kasi natapos na niya ang kanyang academics," he said.

Cadet Cudia was meted with 11 demerits and 13 hours of touring (walking on grounds) as he was two minutes late for a class. The cadet appealed his punishment, prompting the PMA's Honor Committee to investigate the case.

Only months before his graduation, the Honor Committee found him guilty of lying, a violation of the institution's Honor Code.

In his written explanation for coming late for a class, Cudia said he was dismissed late by his professor. The Honor Committee tagged this as a lie, since he was actually asked by the professor to wait after class to receive a document.

On the recommendation of the Honor Committee, the PMA dismissed Cudia.

No pressure to vote vs. Cudia

In same interview of "News To Go" on Thursday, Briguez also clarified claims that
a member of PMA's Honor Committee had admitted he was pressured to vote against Cudia.

He said a member of the Honor Committee – identified only as Cadet Lagura – denied the claim  of Philippine Navy Commander Junjit Tabuada, who earlier stepped in as new witness for Cudia's case.

In his affidavit obtained by GMA News Online, Tabuada said after the Honor Committee's deliberation on Cudia's case, he chanced upon the cadet who voted "not guilty."  

Tabuada claimed he heard cadet [Lagura] admit of overturning his vote due to pressure from his peers.

But Briquez said: "[Nag-deny ang] kadete [Lagura] na siya ay na-pressure. Sabi ng kadete, siya ay nagpalit ng kanyang boto out of his own voluntary view after discussion among themselves."

Also he said that under the Honor Committee's process, the members will discuss further the case if the voting is not unanimous.

"Kasama na po sa proseso nila kung ang voting ay 7-1 at saka 7-2, at 8-1, ico-continue nila ang kanilang diskusyon sa isang executive session.

"Ang tawag po diyan ay chambering. Sa executive session, babasahin ng bawat isa ang kanyang view kung bakit binoto niyang 'not guilty' o 'guilty.' Lahat po sila ay magsasalita. Hindi po iyan illegal, kasama iyan sa proseso," he said.

"May mga kaso na pagkatapos ang executive session, hindi mababago ang desisyon," he added.

Under the PMA policy, a unanimous vote by the Honor Committee is needed to require a cadet to resign.

Appeal for graduation

The Cudia family has continued to appeal that Aldrin Jeff be allowed to graduate on Sunday, said Atty. Persida Rueda-Acosta, chief of the Public Attorney's Office, in a separate interview on "News To Go."

"Time is of the essence..  dahil sa Linggo na ang graduation, at kumikilos naman ang board sa PMA," she said.

She also questioned the impartiality of a student, who was part of the preliminary investigation before the case was brought to the Honor Committee.

"Ang isang miyembro rito sa preliminary investigation bago [isama] sa honor committee para sa botohan... siya pala ay contender sa puwesto na award kay Cudia," she said.

"Hindi dapat nagkaganon dahil may conflict of interest iyon. Kapag natanggal si Cudia, siya ang pwede pumalit sa rank ni Cudia sa Navy group," sha added.

"Kaya ina-assert ng pamilya na walang partiality. Kailangan ang tribunal, impartial, at walang conflict of interest," she said. — Amanda Fernandez /LBG, GMA News