Dismissed PMA Cadet Cudia got high grades in Conduct

Isn't it ironic? Philippine Military Academy (PMA) cadet Aldrin Cudia – found guilty of violating the Honor Code for dishonesty – got a perfect grade in conduct subjects he was taking at the military school.

This was among the points raised by the Cudia camp in insisting before the Supreme Court that he should be cleared of the charges so he can finally earn his diploma.

Based on his transcript of records, Cudia aced six of the 11 "Conduct" courses he took during his four years at the PMA, getting a grade of 100. 

A copy of the transcript of records were distributed to reporters Tuesday by Public Attorney's Office chief Persida Rueda-Acosta.

The six "Conduct" subjects  were taken by Cuidia in Summer (2011-2012), First Term (2011-2012), Second Term (2011-2012), Summer School (2012-2013), First Term (2012-2013), and Summer (2013-2014).

In the other "Conduct" subjects, Cudia got a grade of either 96, 97, or 99.

On Tuesday, Cudia's mother signed the petition to clear his son's name. In a petition in intervention, Filipina Cudia asked the high court that she be allowed to serve as an "intervenor" in an earlier petition filed jointly by her son and her husband Renato.

"She undoubtedly stands to benefit by the success of the petition in the above-captioned case," read the petition, filed by the Cudias with the help of Acosta.

Along with the petition, the Cudias also submitted to the high court an affidavit from Philippine Navy Commander Junjie Tabuada, head of the PMA's Department of Naval Welfare, to prove that one of the eight members had originally voted to acquit Cudia in the dishonesty case.

Tabuada said he was in his office at Camp Allen in Baguio City filling out forms to renew his passport when Cadet First Class Dalton John Lagura, a member of the Honor Committee, entered his office and admitted how he voted on the Cudia case.

"When he (Lagura) was about to leave (my office) I called him, 'Lags, halika muna dito.' He approached me and I let him sit down in the chair in front of my table and asked him, 'Talagang nadali si Cudia, ah... Ano ba ang nangyari? Mag-Tagalog or mag-Bisaya ka,'" Tabuada recounted in his affidavit.

"He (Lagura) replied, 'Talagang not guilty ang vote ko sa kanya, sir,'" Tabuada added.

Pressure

When Tabuada asked Lagura why the panel still convicted him when under the rules a person should be acquitted if there is just one vote to acquit, Lagura supposedly replied: "Chinamber ako, sir, bale pina-pa-justify kung bakit not guilty vote ko."

"Na-pressure din ako sir kaya binago ko sir," Lagura allegedly told Tabuada.

After bringing the case to the SC, the Cudias proceeded to the Department of Justice and met with Justice Secretary Leila de Lima. Acosta said they furnished De Lima a copy of their petitions.

Earlier, the high court did not issue a status quo ante order or a temporary restraining order that would have allowed Cudia to graduate.

Cudia did not march with the Siklab Diwa batch during the PMA’s graduation rites last Sunday in Baguio City since his appeal was still pending before the AFP and the PMA.

Last February, the PMA Honor Committee found Cudia guilty of lying about his reason for being late for a class, a violation that led to his dismissal from the academy.

Cudia’s classmates began ostracizing him after he opted to stay in the PMA even after he was recommended for dismissal by the Honor Committee.

His family, however, has claimed there were alleged irregularities in how the committee voted on his case, and asked President Benigno Aquino III to overturn the decision.

Cudia has also asked the court to issue a writ of prohibition to bar the PMA and its Honor Committee from using a guilty verdict as a basis for dismissing a cadet from the academy and for ostracizing cadets in the future. – VS, GMA News