A retired flag officer is calling on his Philippine Military Academy batchmates to exercise independent judgment and restraint amid mounting pressure within their ranks to publicly support former Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, who faces proceedings before the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Retired Rear Admiral Allan Cusi, a former PMA Superintendent and member of the PMA “Sinagtala” Class of 1986, issued an open letter to his batchmates warning against signing a solidarity statement on behalf of Dela Rosa without careful reflection.

“A signature given without careful reflection may comfort emotions today, yet burden both individual honor and class integrity tomorrow,” Cusi wrote.

Cusi acknowledged that some classmates have been pressuring fellow members of the batch to sign a statement of support for Dela Rosa, who is also a Sinagtala member.

Grave legal issue

He pushed back against that pressure, drawing a sharp distinction between the current situation and a famous act of class solidarity during their cadet years, the so-called “Yearling walkout,” in which the batch walked out in protest over what they believed was the unfair treatment of classmates within the Academy.

“Today’s situation is fundamentally different,” Cusi wrote. “What confronts Mistah Senator Bato is not a disciplinary matter inside PMA, but a grave legal and constitutional issue being addressed within the framework of national and international law.”

The retired admiral stressed that opposition to signing the statement does not constitute a betrayal of brotherhood. “Brotherhood should never compel a man to surrender his conscience, independent judgment, or fidelity to the Constitution merely to prove loyalty,” he said.