SC upholds dismissal of PMA cadet Cudia

MANILA, Philippines —  The Supreme Court en banc upheld the dismissal of Cadet First Class Jeff Aldrin Cudia from the Philippine Military Academy (PMA), citing the latter's academic freedom.

In a decision announced on Tuesday, Supreme Court spokesman Theodore Te said the court did not find sufficient basis for Cudia's plea asking for a halt order against the academy's decision to remove him from the graduates' list.

"The court, through Associate Justice Diosdado Peralta, denied the petition for certiorari, prohibition and mandamus with application for extremely urgent temporary restraining order," Te said, relating the decision, in a state news report.

"The dismissal of Cadet First Class Jeff Aldrin Cudia from the Philippine Military Academy is hereby affirmed. No costs," he added.

Cudia was accused of violating the PMA's honor code by lying to his superiors after he was reprimanded for being late in class.

The cadet accused the academy of grave abuse of discretion, but the high court recognized the institution's academic freedom, specifically in imposing its own disciplinary sanctions.

"The establishment of rules governing university student relations, particularly those pertaining to student discipline, may be regarded as vital, not merely to the smooth and efficient operation of the institution, but to its very survival," the court ruling stated.

Cudia's case earned public attention after his sister posted a viral statement on Facebook protesting against the PMA's treatment of her brother following the incident.

Cudia was supposed to have graduated in 2014 as the second top graduate of his class.

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