THE PMA CADET DESERVES ANOTHER CHANCE

   In the front page of the Inquirer, there is this photo of First Class Cadet Jeff Aldrin Cudia in his Philippine Military Cadet uniform. How elegant and brilliant he looks!  He could be an asset to the country plagued by corruption with lawmakers as the biggest robber barons. In fact, Congress has been accused of harboring the biggest criminal syndicate in the Philippines.

     But Jeff will not graduate from the academy this year. For not telling the truth, he was ousted by his peers and the PMA approved the decision of his fellow cadets.
     What a waste of time, effort and money, the taxpayers money. (Two million pesos per year was spent for his education to become an "officer and gentleman.")
     For four years, the PMA nurtured Jeff, only to be expelled from the academy. Reason for the ouster: he allegedly did no tell the truth why he was late for his class by two minutes. By two minutes!
     No forgiveness by the mother and his brothers!
     And Jeff will discard his uniform, throwing it away like garbage?
     Can the mother (PMA) and his brothers (fellow cadets) guarantee that this country will be free of dishonest officials and violent PMA graduates like Honasan and Lacson? How honest are these people? And how about Garcia, a PMA graduate, who stole millions from the state coffers?
     We don't what will happen tomorrow. Who knows Jeff will be a great Philippine leader, an exponent of truth, honesty and integrity?
     The United States of America gives a second chance to erring cadets of West Point, its top military academy. Despite its present troubles, the USA is a great country where millions of Filipinos live.