Sunday, February 23, 2014

AFP junior officers stress they strictly uphold Honor Code

From the Philippine News Agency (Feb 23): AFP junior officers stress they strictly uphold Honor Code

Two junior officers of the country’s premier military institution said they strongly uphold the “Honor Code” to the fullest.

Major Angelo Guzman, former public information officer of the Philippine Army’s 9th Infantry Division based in the Bicol region and now assistant chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines’s Public Affairs Office, said Cadet Aldrin Jeff Cudia violated their sacred pact Honor Code — the pillar of the institution which guides them to do right.

“It guides us to do right, it is as important as life itself. He violated the Honor Code System, that’s it,” he said Sunday.

Another PMA graduate, Major Arvin Alexander Buan, deputy commander of the Tactical Operations Group Bicol-Philippine Air Force (TOG5-PAF), said the Honor Code is an inviolable covenant and as such any violation committed by a cadet is a paramount grave offense which is not allowed by the academy.

Buan said that when a cadet is found guilty of not living up to the sanctity of the Honor Code he or she is given a chance or choice to resign as an honorable act rather than to stay in the institution or take the dose of his own medicine.

Guzman, who belongs to the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Masikhay Class 1999, defended the Honor Code System, saying it is an unbending accord of the cadets and cadettes.

On his Facebook wall, Guzman also expressed his thoughts as member of the cavaliers.

“I am a PMAyer...I have the balls to face the consequences of all my words and actions,” the military junior officer said.

When asked on his comment regarding the euro military generals facing plunder cases and other high crimes for not living up to the standards of the PMA’s honor code, Guzman timidly said others forget the sacred covenant.

“Others forget. It’s a big organization, We are also a mirror of the society na kung saan may mabait, may otherwise...pero how I wish every graduate will hold on to their pledge to protect and serve the country and the people as well as to practice the Honor Code even after graduation,” he added.

The rosy future of Cudia, who is supposed to be the PMA class salutatorian this year and is the top cadet to join the elite unit of Philippine Navy, has been wasted after he violated the revered and incontestable Honor Code of the academy, Guzman said.

Cudia was suspended for this violation and not for being two-minute late, for which he has already served the punishment.

“A cadet found guilty of violating the Honor Code is equivalent to one losing his face. So, you’re given a choice to resign as this is a more honorable act rather than to stay. If you choose to stay in the institution, you must suffer the consequences of your action,” Buan said.

The Honor Code, according to him, is not only the pillar of the cadets but a binding principle among the officers’ corps of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=619268

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