GIVING weight to their hard work and experience, Philippine National Police chief General Rommel Marbil has designated two deserving members of PNP Academy ‘‘Kaagapay’ Class of 1996 to positions of major responsibility that would earn them their star-rank.

I’m referring to my friends Colonel Marvin Joe Saro and Col. Bonard Briton who are now the acting directors of the Police Community Affairs and Development Group, better known as PCADG and the PNP Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group or PNP-IMEG respectively.

The two have proven their worth in both units, rising from their previous positions as Chief of Staff to Deputy Director for Operations and later Deputy Director for Administration. That means they have done all the complete staff work while supervising their officers and men.

Col. Saro will be heading the PCADG vice newly-retired Brigadier Gen. Resty Arcangel who also happened to be a proud member of PNPA Class 1996. He now will head the PNP unit responsible for improving public order and safety by engaging, informing, and influencing communities.

On the other hand, Col. Briton will be taking over the PNP-IMEG vice its erstwhile director Brig. Gen. Warren De Leon of PNPA ‘Tagapaglunsad’ Class of 1993 who ably headed the unit for more than two years.

Col. Briton knows the ins and outs of the unit responsible for conducting intelligence build-up and law enforcement operations against PNP personnel involved in any illegal activities such as drug trafficking, human trafficking, financial crimes, cybercrime, malversation, graft and corrupt practices.

Gen. Marbil is also set to fill-up some key PNP posts which will be left vacant with the retirement of a number of key police officials before the end of the year, another PNPA Class 1996 member, PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo said.

The reshuffle is looming since there are some sensitive PNP posts which needs to be filled up with the retirement of some officials this month. Set to retire this coming December 20 is PNP Deputy Chief for Operations Lieutenant Gen. Mike Dubria, a classmate of Gen. Marbil from Philippine Military Academy ‘Sambisig’ Class of 1991.

A retirement honor was already tendered for Lt. Gen. Dubria by the PNP last Monday. Acting or permanent directors of the PNP Directorate for Information Communications and Technology Management, Anti-Cybercrime Groups and the Headquarters Support Service will also be named with the retirement of their heads.

The DICTM is currently headed by an Officer-in-Charge Lt. Gen. Robert Rodriguez, also of PMA Class 1991. An OIC has also been named at the ACG . PNP-HSS director Brig. Gen. Radel DL Ramos of PNP Academy ‘Patnubay’ Class of 1995 will also retire this coming December 30.

Police Regional Office 13 director Brig. Gen. Alan Nazarro of PNPA ‘Tagapagkalinga’ Class of 1991 will also retire this coming December 21, and thus, Gen. Marbil has to name a new Caraga police chief.

RETIRED COLONEL JAMES BRILLANTES’ SONS SHINES

On a personal note, my family and I would like to congratulate a long-time friend, retired Police Superintendent Roger James Brillantes for really producing two brilliant sons who are now lawyers, both products of San Beda law school.

I’m referring to Attorney Francis James Brillantes, the 2nd member of the Brillantes clan who became a member of the Philippine Bar after former Comelec chairman Sixto Brillantes and most recently, Atty. Juan Carlos Brillantes.

Atty JC Brillantes is currently the chief of the Customs Container Control Division at the Port of Manila. I was told by the new lawyer’s proud father that the latter was a working student who finished his law school in six years.

James told me that I was actually the one who broke the news to their family that JC passed the 2023 Bar Examinations. It was like a ‘flash report,’ he said. It happened because my daughter Kyra who also happened to be a law student was watching the results of the Bar exams being beamed live by the Supreme Court.

When the names of the Bar passers were being slowly focused on the television screen, I saw the name of Juan Carlos Brillantes and out of joy immediately called James to tell him the good news. James who was in his office could not believe it.

I then asked Kyra to try to take a screen shot of the list of successful examinees and presto, Attorney Juan Carlos Gonzales Brillantes was no. 668 on the list.

“We now have two lawyers in the house that will always be a source of pride for the family. God is good. To God be the glory and may His Holy Face continue to shine and guide us,” James, a veteran police officer in the 90s and 2000 told me.

Congratulations to the two Attorney Brillantes. May you, just like your father be really able to help serve the poor and the oppressed. Congratulations too to the other 2023 Bar passers including many police personnel whose names I still have to get.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Alfred P. Dalizon