THE graduating cadet who asked President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. for his wristwatch as a gift was reprimanded, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesperson Colonel Francel Margareth Padilla said on Tuesday, October 22, 2024.
In a press conference, Padilla confirmed that during a graduation ceremony at the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) in May, a cadet asked Marcos for his wristwatch as a gift. The cadet is now assigned to the Philippine Air Force.
“Na-reprimand na ito (He has already been reprimanded), and in our case, it’s already a closed book. He was admonished for his actions. It was dealt with according to the regulations of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine Military Academy, in accordance with the rules governing how we conduct ourselves as cadets,” she said.
In a press conference last week, Vice President Sara Duterte stated that Marcos’ refusal to give his wristwatch, which made the cadet feel humiliated, led her to realize that her relationship with the chief executive is already “toxic.”
She added that this situation also made her want to “cut off” Marcos’ head.
“Sa akin, there was some sort of inappropriateness sa ginawa nung bata, pero bata ito, so ikaw din, meron ka din dapat pag-intindi kung saan nanggagaling ‘yung bata, and ang reaction mo should be so that the child will learn a lesson,” said Duterte.
(In my opinion, there was some sort of inappropriateness in what the child did. But he is just a kid, so you should understand where the child is coming from. Your reaction should be such that the child will learn a lesson.)
“I realized that the relationship is toxic. Gusto kong sabihin sa kanya, bago ko tanggalin ang ulo mo, ‘yang batang yan, ‘yan ‘yung magpapakamatay para sa bayan natin. Nag-aral yan ng apat na taon, naghirap ng apat na taon, walang tulog araw-araw para mag-training kasi mamamatay yan para sa bayan natin. ‘Yan ‘yung batang yan ang mapuputulan ng daliri sa fiasco ninyo sa West Philippine Sea,” she added.
(I realized that the relationship is toxic. I wanted to say to him, that before I cut off your head, that kid will die for the country. He studied for four years, struggled for four years, without enough sleep to train. That kid will be the one whose fingers will be cut off because of your fiasco in the West Philippine Sea.)
During the 2019 PMA graduation ceremony, a cadet also asked for former President Rodrigo Duterte’s wristwatch. Duterte removed his watch and put it on the cadet’s wrist.
However, Padilla clarified that asking the chief executive for his watch as a graduation gift is not a tradition at the PMA.
“This is not a tradition of the Philippine Military Academy. We have graduated there over the years, and this is not a tradition that we uphold. This is an isolated incident,” she said.
Padilla, however, requested that the AFP be spared from political matters.
“The AFP is a strong, united, and professional organization, and we deeply appreciate your understanding in keeping us out of political discussions,” she added. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)
