PMA Stands By Ruling On “Grape Thief” Retention

July 25, 2020 JUST IN

BAGUIO CITY (July 25, 2020) – The Philippine Military Academy, once again embroiled in a supposed Honor Code issue regarding a cadet who allegedly took grapes not hers, is standing by its ruling to retain her.

The second year cadet recently found guilty of stealing five pieces of grapes from her seniors last year earlier tendered her resignation but the PMA reversed it and retained her.

This recent honor case of a cadet, just like all honor cases in PMA, has gone through due process, Major Sheryl Tindog, PMA spokesperson said, explaining “the Honor Committee, and the Board of Senior Officers of the Academy have reviewed, resolved and recommended what they deemed are the right actions to be taken, before the Superintendent has approved the issuance of order to said cadet, whose violation, as a matter of fact, was committed while the cadet was still a 4th Class Cadet.”

Tindog avowed that the PMA remains committed to observing the PMA “Honor Code”, a set of rule which govern the behavior of cadets and alumni. It states: “We, the cadets, do not lie, cheat, steal nor tolerate among us those who do.”

The unnamed third class cadet, who committed the violation “last year” when she was still a plebe, underwent a trial initiated by the PMA Honor Committee for “several months.” Released on July 7, the probe showed that the cadet admitted to stealing the grapes from the refrigerator “exclusively” owned by the first class (fourth year) cadets.

The cadet resigned upon the recommendation of the committee until PMA superintendent Vice Admiral Allan Ferdinand Cusi learned about the incident and convened the PMA Board of Senior Officers, composed of ranking military officers, to reverse the ruling.

Tindog said, “it is the PMA’s responsibility to allow any cadet to learn from his/her mistake and attain moral-ethical reformation. The decision made for this case was in no way a deviation from what the Honor Code and the Honor System stand for, but was actually a testament to PMA’s character development program for all cadets, that is anchored on sacred ideals, realistic circumstances, and true transformation.”

Cusi had maintained that no one influenced him on the outcome of the case. He also denied rumors that the cadet has a connection to a “powerful” official, hence the reversal. “Contrary to the malicious claims of other parties, I do not know any aunt or any other high government official from DND who interceded in (her) behalf.”

Tindog stressed, “considering that the cadets are still under training (from 4th Class to 1st Class), the Honor Code and System is formative and developmental, rather than punitive and preventive of growth and edification/improvement.” She explained, “that is why the strictness in terms of degree of application and sanction is graduated, i.e., less strict with the new cadets/plebes who are under extreme physical, biological, mental, emotional, psychological stress, but stricter as the class of the cadets becomes more senior.” An essential element in any honor case should be the presence or absence of malice aforethought, just like in murder and other criminal offenses, she added.

She cited a Revised Honor System (RHS) promulgated in March 2007, following the review of the Honor System back in August 2005. The most prominent features of the RHS are remediation, determination of guilt by a majority rather than a unanimous vote, guilty cadets to be separated from the Academy by administrative dismissal rather than forced resignation, the PMA spokesperson pointed out.

Tindog said the RHS placed the Superintendent, rather than the Honor Committee, “as the final authority over the disposition of honor cases.” This is to ensure that all honor cases shall go through due process as enshrined in the Constitution and as affirmed by the Supreme Court in its landmark jurisprudence on the PMA Honor System, she explained.

She stressed that “(the) heart and soul of the Honor Code and the Honor System is due process . The implementing procedures are all in accordance with the policies of the Academy. It is always intended for character development.”

Artemio A. Dumlao