Court halts PMA probe on ‘cheating’

FORT DEL PILAR, Baguio City — A Regional Trial Court (RTC) judge has restrained the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) from continuing its investigation of eight graduating cadets for alleged cheating.

This reportedly marks the first time that cadets have sued the premier military institution.

Despite the 20-day temporary restraining order issued by RTC Judge Antonio Reyes last Dec. 23, PMA officials said they would respect the report of the Honor Committee which probed the alleged cheating.

Maj. Edgard Arevalo, speaking on the academy’s behalf, said the committee found prima facie evidence that the eight cadets cheated in their Management Information Science class.

While the committee is not an administrative body that recommends sanctions, Arevalo said its decision has been respected by PMA officials and erring cadets in the past.

But in their suit, the eight cadets — Eddyson Abanilla, Euphraim Diciano, Bernardo Huerte, Jerome Lozada, Eugene Mojar, Jonathan Serote, Jay Tarriela and Jimmy Oliver Vingno — said they were deprived of their constitutional right to due process.

Court records show that last Sept. 30, the cadets learned that their Management Information Science professor, Jovelyn Hermano, accused them of violating the Honor Code by allegedly cheating in her class.

They said the allegation was based on mere suspicion since some of their answers to an exam Hermano gave them were similar to those in another class.

Arevalo said a cadet found to have violated the Honor Code has two options: resign as part of a "gentlemen’s agreement" or stay in the academy but suffer less respect for not upholding the code.

Arevalo recalled that almost half of the members of PMA Class 1987 voluntarily left the academy over charges of massive cheating hurled against the batch.

PMA Superintendent Edilberto Adan has created a Battalion Board to look into the extent of the alleged cheating by the eight cadets.

However, the members of the board, which has the authority to impose sanctions, have yet to convene.