PMA, dunking and this year’s goat

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines – The 222 members of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Siklab Diwa Class of 2014 graduated on Sunday, March 16, amid controversy involving their dismissed classmate Cadet Jeff Cudia.

In an unprecedented move, President Benigno Aquino III met with Cudia and his family Saturday afternoon, March 15. Aquino ordered another probe of Cudia’s case, this time to be led by Armed Forces chief General Emmanuel Bautista himself. 

The celebrations in Fort del Pilar, however, were not dampened by the controversy.

Watch this video of “Dunking,” a tradition where underclass cadets carry the graduating cadets, “tickle” them, and dunk them into the pool. It was held on March 15, their last day as PMA cadets. 

Pastor Jonathan Erardo and wife Erlinda were among the first parents to arrive at the grandstand for the graduation rites. They are the proud parents of now 2nd Lieutenant Jonathan Erardo, who is joining the Army. 

“We are proud,” said a beaming Pastor Jonathan.

They didn’t want their son to go to PMA but his friends encouraged him. Pastor Jonathan is a graduate of advanced ROTC while Erlinda was a member of the Women Auxillary Training Corps (WATC) of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines.

They knew PMA was not going to be easy. 

 

Class goat is Dean’s Lister

PMA Class 2014 also has an extraordinary class goat, the last in the overall ranking. Ernalyn Fernando is a Dean’s Lister.

She excelled in her academic classes but got low grades in Conduct. She received one of the loudest applause during the graduation rites on Sunday, March 16.

“In my case, I’m in the Dean’s List. But there are regulations that I violated unintentionally. There is a corresponding punishment. I am last in the ranking,” she told reporters. 

She wouldn’t tell reporters, however, the gravity of her violations that earned her demerits and put her at the bottom of the class.

“That’s just between us (cadets),” she said. 

Standing ovation for Class goat Cadet 1CL Ernalyn Fernando. She ranks 222nd out of 222 cadets #RStream pic.twitter.com/cMmaFIRxRG

— Carmela Fonbuena (@carmelafonbuena) March 16, 2014

 

She’s not embarrassed about being the class goat, she said. “I am proud. Whatever happened to me, I accepted the consequences of my actions. The important thing is I graduated,” she said.  (One class goat became chief of staff of the Armed Forces, senator and representative: retired general Rodolfo Biazon.)

Fernando’s statement sounded like a message to her classmate Cudia who was dismissed for violating the PMA Honor Code when he supposedly lied about the reason he was late in one class.

Cudia received demerits, which he appealed. His explanation in his appeal was reported as a “lie,” a violation of the code.

Cudia fought the Honor Committee for supposed mistrial and the academy for upholding the committee’s decision. He gained public sympathy.

His classmates declared their support for the Honor Committee’s decision. 

“Acceptance na lang, bok. There are a lot of opportunities outside,” Fernando said when asked if he had any message for Cudia. – Carmela Fonbuena/Rappler.com