P-Noy skips PMA homecoming, first PH commander-in-chief to do so

Manila Standard Today reports that President Benigno Aquino III skipped the annual homecoming of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) in Baguio City over the weekend.The report pointed out that he was "the first Armed Forces commander-in-chief to break the tradition."

The president sent Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, the former commanding general of the Philippine Army and a member of PMA class 1961, to represent him in the homecoming ceremonies. Aquino said he would just "make up" for his absence during the PMA graduation ceremonies next month.

Aquino chose instead to attend the inauguration of the 50-bed Aurora Memorial Hospital in Reserva, Baler, Aurora. There, as the report revealed, "Aquino expressed appreciation to the Japanese government for donating the a P594- million hospital despite the powerful earthquake and tsunami that devastated Japan last year."

Manila Standard Today revealed that "it was not just Aquino who was absent at the homecoming, because several prominent alumni, including former National Police chiefs Avelino Razon and Jesus Verzosa, former National Bureau of Investigation Chief Magtanggol Gatdula, and some members of the Class of 1974 also stayed away."

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