STARS will literally rain inside the PNP National Headquarters’ Multi-Purpose Center today as 32 officials, many of them my friends don their new ranks after getting their well-deserved but much-delayed promotion.

PNP chief General Rommel Marbil will lead the oath-taking and donning of ranks ceremony wherein newly-promoted Police Major Generals Anthony Aberin, Neri Ignacio, Jerico Baldeo and Lex Gurat will wear their new stripes on their shoulders.

President Bongbong Marcos approved the promotion of these generals, many of them already in their posts since last November following a recommendation from Gen. Marbil and the National Police Commission chaired by DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla who initially said he wanted to trim down the number of PNP generals from 133 to just 25 saying the PNP is currently ‘very top-heavy’ and is in need of streamlining ‘to flatten the organization.’

Maj. Gen. Aberin of PNP Academy ‘Tagapaglunsad’ Class of 1993 is currently doing a fine job as the director of the National Capital Region Police Office which protects Metro Manila residents and visitors 24/7.

Maj. Gen. Ignacio of PNPA ‘Sandigan’ Class of 1994 is also doing good as PNP Director for Logistics which is responsible for ensuring the efficient provision of resources for police operations thru quality logistics administration which include the procurement, distribution and management of all logistical requirements of the 232,000-strong national police force. He is also the 1st member of PNPA Class 1994 to become a 2-star general in the PNP.

Major Generals Baldeo and Gurat are both from PNPA ‘Tagapagpatupad’ Class of 1992. Baldeo is the PNP Director for Information Communications and Technology Management while Gurat who is also a lawyer is the PNP Director for Plans. ###

Then there are the 28 newly-promoted Police Brigadier Generals who will finally feel at ease when inside the PNP Star Lounge which is exclusively for star-rank officials.

The place is full of history with the names of active and retired police generals emblazoned bronze markings.

They include my friends, now Brig. Gen. Elmer Ragay, the director of the Anti-Kidnapping Group; Brig. Gen. Marvin Saro, the director of the Police-Community Affairs and Development Group; Brig. Gen. Bonard Briton, the director of the Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group; and Brig. Gen. Frankie Candelario, the director of the PNP Intelligence Group.

Others are Brig. Gen. Josefino Ligan of the Northern Police District; Brig. Gen. Mel Buslig Jr. of the Quezon City Police District; and Brig. Gen. Villamor Tuliao of the Eastern Police District.

Then there are newly-promoted Brig. Gen. Jason Capoy, the PNPA Deputy Director; Brig. Gen. Jonas Amparo, the Executive Officer of the Directorate for Police-Community Relations; Brig. Gen. Romeo Berango, the PNP Chief of Staff; Brig.Gen. Primitivo Bayongan Jr., the chief of the PNP Legislative Affairs Center;

Brig. Gen. Moises Villaceran Jr., the Washington DC Police Attache; Brig. Gen. Rolindo Suguilon, the Deputy Director of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group; Brig. Gen. Erosito Miranda, the NCRPO Regional Chief Directorial Staff;

Brig. Gen. Alan Manibog, the Deputy Regional Director for Administration (DRDA) of the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao; Brig. Gen. Arnold Abad, the Deputy Director of the National Police Training Institute; Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Decena, the DRDA of the PRO3 in Central Luzon;

Brig. Gen. Sheila Portento, the PNPA Dean of Academics; Brig. Gen. Glicerio Cancilao, the Ex-O of the Directorate for Intelligence; Brig. Gen. Vina Guzman, the PNPA Commandant of Cadets who happened to be the wife of Gen. Marbil’s Senior Executive Assistant, Brig. Gen. Benigno Guzman; Brig. Gen. Alexander Mariano, the DRDA of the PRO6 in Western Visayas;

Brig. Gen. Romeo Espero Jr., the DRDA of the PRO9 in Western Mindanao; Brig. Gen. Joselito Clarito, the DRDA of the PRO10 in Northern Mindanao; Brig. Gen. Benliner Capili, the Ex-O of the Directorate for Human Resource and Doctrine Development; Brig. Gen. Rex Malimban, the Deputy Director of the PNP Special Action Force;

Brig. Gen. Arnold Santiago, the DRDA of the PRO12 in Soccsksargen region; Brig. Gen. Aris Pestano, the lawyer-director of the PNP Legal Service; and Brig. Gen. Jaime Serina Jr., a priest-turned director of the PNP Chaplain Service.

Many of these newly-promoted police generals have been good friends since their much younger days where I literally ‘grew up with them’ and saw how they performed their job with full honesty and integrity. They are the ‘Lakans and Lakambinis’’ of the PNPA which their Alma Mater and we should really be proud of. My congratulations to all.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Alfred P. Dalizon