Cadets in formation. From the Philippine Military Academy website The case of Cadet Cudia has brought into public (a.k.a. civilian) discussion what values the armed forces value and how this relates to the civil sector of society. In this country, the civilian authority as embodied by the President of the Philippines acting through his/her civilian defense secretary, is supreme. The constitutional tradition we inherited from the Roman Republic says " Cedant Arma Togae " or Arms give way to the Toga, only means that civilian authority is supreme. However, t he civilian unless constitutionally given the right, is not supreme over the soldier . Thus social media warriors cannot claim supremacy over the soldier unless the constitution gives them authority! Social media civvie warriors at best have their own duty and the soldier his/her own. Philippine Military Academy (PMA) mistahs say that "civilians will never understand". Perhaps yes, if only the real ideal of
"It is surely harmful to souls to make it a heresy to believe what is proved" - Galileo