I sympathize with Philippine Military Academy Cadet First Class Aldrin Jeff Cudia who for a very small offense was unfairly treated by the Honor Committee of the school, considering that he was supposed to graduate as salutatorian.
Cudia supposedly violated the Honor Code that forbids lying, among other offenses. I feel that his failure to say rightly the real reason he was late by two minutes for his next class (whether he, with three others, was asked to stay for some time by an instructor after class, or they were the ones who asked the instructor to confer with him) was not that grave to merit a dismissal.
Former senator Panfilo Lacson, who was a guest speaker of the PMA graduation rites, sort of defended the Honor Code. Earlier, he said that whether or not the Honor Committee made the proper decision, he was shocked that Cudia challenged it. Lacson said this was something unheard of.
If so, then it is time the PMA reviewed its Honor Code and see how it can best uphold and protect the right of every cadet from unjust decisions of the Honor Committee.
I am afraid that the Honor Committee put itself in a bad light, coming out with an unjust, hasty and unreasonable decision that only earned sympathy for Cudia. There is nothing wrong with the Honor Code per se, but any perceived violation thereof should be weighed carefully for its gravity or seriousness before meting out the corresponding penalty.
I pray that those in a position to rectify the grave error in judgment made against Cadet Cudia will act accordingly and justly.
—THERESA PILI-NISPEROS,
Gagalangin, Tondo, Manila