I would like to congratulate members of the Philippine National Police Academy ‘Kaagapay’ Class of 1996 who are slowly getting well-deserved positions that would catapult them to the star-rank, thanks to their good service reputation.

Latest members of the Class to be designated by PNP chief General Benjie Acorda to key positions in the police force are Colonels Marlou Roy Alzate, Christopher Acop and Noel Ponollera. The three will be promoted to the rank of Police Brigadier General with their new positions.

Col. Alzate, a friend who used to be the deputy director of the PNP Headquarters Support Service is now the new head of the PNP Supervisory Office for Security and Investigation Agencies while Col. Acop recently took over as the new director of the PNP Firearms and Explosives Office.

Alzate took over as the new head of the SOSIA which has been under an Officer-in-Charge in the person of another PNPA Class 1996 product, Col. Patrick Sangalang since last January 21, the day erstwhile SOSIA director, Brigadier Gen. Greg Bogñalbal of PNPA ‘Sandigan’ Class of 1994 retired from the police service.

On the other hand, PNP Civil Security Group director Major Gen. Benjie Silo told me that installed Col. Acop as the new PNP-FEO director last week vice Brig. Gen. Lyndon Mencio of PNPA ‘Tagapamayapa’ Class of 1990 who retired last March 8.

Col. Ponollera of the PNP Directorate for Intelligence will be the incoming PNP Intelligence Group director, I was informed by many highly-reliable sources. He will be replacing Brig. Gen. Romeo Macapaz of PNPA ‘Patnubay’ Class of 1995 whom I was told will be given a new position for career advancement.

Many members of PNPA Class 1996 have been my good friends since the late 90s and I have watched them grow as intelligence and operations officers. They include PNP spokesperson and chief of the Public Information Office, Col. Jean Fajardo, a true-blue police operative set to earn her star-rank very soon.

I remember Jean as a very young officer of the now defunct PNP Narcotics Group, where she, along with the likes of another classmate named Jeff Decena, helped smash major drug trafficking rings in the country thru good old intelligence and surveillance works. Col. Jeffrey Decena is now the PNP-IG deputy director.

Another member is Brig. Gen. Tom Ibay, currently the director of the Manila Police District who has been a good friend way back when he was still with the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group and later as Pampanga Police Provincial Office director just like Col. Fajardo.

There are the likes of Brig. Gen. Restituto Arcangel, the ‘silent but effective’ director of the Police-Community Affairs and Development Group whose office is located just a few meters away from the PNP-PIO and the hardworking Brig. Gen. Christopher Abrahano, currently the Senior Police Assistant of the PNP chief.

Two others are Brig. Gen. Gideon Dy, currently the Executive Officer of the Area Police Command-Western Mindanao and Brig. Gen. Porfirio Calagan, the Executive Officer of the PNP Directorate for Personnel and Records Management.

Other members of the Class are also literally waiting in the wings, working efficiently to be recognized by the PNP leadership and given the chance to occupy a position of major responsibility like their other classmates. I won’t mention their names anymore but many of them are assigned in different operational and administrative units in Camp Crame.

CONGRATULATIONS to 5 NEW PNP GENERALS

On a personal note, I would like to congratulate five new PNP Star-Rank Officers who took their oath of office before PNP Deputy Chief for Administration Lieutenant Gen. Emmanuel Peralta last March 1.

The five are new Police Brigadier Generals Rolly Octavio, Rogelio Raymundo, Bernard Yang, Calagan and Florendo Gerdan Jr.

The promotion of the five was approved by President Marcos following a recommendation from the National Police Commission chaired by DILG Secretary Benhur Abalos and Gen. Acorda. In behalf of the PNP chief, Lt. Gen. Peralta and PNP The Chief of Directorial Staff, Lt. Gen. Jon Arnaldo led the oath-taking and donning of ranks of the new police 1-star generals at the PNP Multi-Purpose Center.

Brig. Gen. Octavio, a member of PNPA ‘Tagapaglunsad’ Class of 1993 is the Chief Regional Staff of the National Capital Region Police Office. Both Brig. Gen. Raymundo and Brig. Gen. Yang are members of PNPA ‘Patnubay’ Class of 1995. Raymundo is the Deputy Regional Director for Administration of the Police Regional Office 12 in Soccsksaregen region while Yang is the Senior Police Assistant of the DILG Secretary.

Brig. Gen. Calagan is the Executive Officer of the PNP-DPRM while Brig. Gen. Gerdan wrote history when he became the 1st technical officer-recruit to head the PNP-ES.

Gerdan was already an engineer when he joined the PNP Engineering Service as a Police Officer 1 in 1999 and went on to become the PNP-ES director in October last year.

Gen. Acorda earlier ensured that technical officers will be the ones designated as directors of technical services like the PNP-ES

The reality is that the designation of Line Officers as head of different technical services in the force including the ES, the Legal Service, the Health Service and other similar units in the past have triggered demoralization in the ranks of technical officers in the organization. Hope this issue has really been addressed by the PNP leadership.