TIME is really fast catching up with members of the so-called ‘Last Mojicans’ or the four Philippine Military Academy Classes from 1989 to 1992 who joined the Philippine National Police in 1991 as their number is now down to 31 with the recent retirement of Lieutenant General Vic Danao and Brigadier Gen. Tony Yarra.

Both classmates from PMA ‘Sambisig’ Class of 1991 of PNP chief, Gen. Benjie Acorda, Lt. Gen. Danao retired from the police force on Thursday while Brig. Gen. Yarra, a former Calabarzon police director bowed down as director of the Police Security and Protection Group last August 4.

Lt. Gen. Danao retired after serving the police force with distinction for nearly 37 years. Danao’s family, friends, classmates and other colleagues came in full force to join him in his birthday celebration and retirement day.

Lt. Gen. Danao indeed left a big mark in the 228,000-strong police force when he retired as director of the Area Police Command-Western Mindanao. I think many have known him as the tough-talking former Manila Police District director who eventually became a director of the Police Regional Office 4-A in Calabarzon region and later National Capital Region Police Office chief in Metro Manila.

He went to become the PNP’s Chief Directorial Staff, the 4th highest position in the PNP on March 2022 and later the PNP Deputy Chief for Operations until he was designated as PNP Officer-in-Charge from May 8 to August 1, 2022, the 8th general designated by former President Rodrigo Duterte to head the force during his 6-year term.

Gen. Danao rose to fame in Metro Manila as an officer with a ‘heart for the poor’ but a nemesis of criminals and rogues in uniform particularly those involved in illegal drug trafficking and abuse. Happy retirement my friend and may the Good Lord guide and bless you and your family always.

Gen. Danao has been replaced as APC-Western Mindanao commander by another friend Major Gen. Jonnel Estomo of PMA ‘Tanglaw-Diwa’ Class of 1992. The erstwhile NCRPO director-turned PNP Deputy Chief for Operations-turned PNP Director for Plans will be getting his 3rd-star with his new assignment. Time for Estomo to get his 3rd-star this year.

With the retirement of Danao and Yarra, the number of Peemayers in the police force led by Gen. Acorda is really dwindling unless the promised 1-year service extension by the Senate materialize. As Senate President Migz Zubiri said last Tuesday during the 122nd Police Service Anniversary, the Senate is set to pass a law that will extend the retirement age of uniformed members of the police force from 56 to 57 or just like that in the Armed Forces.

At present, the PMA Class 1991 led by Gen. Acorda is considered as the ‘Ruling Class’ in the PNP although there are only 12 active members of the class in the organization with Danao’s retirement.

The others are PNP Deputy Chief for Operations, Lieutenant Gen. Mike Dubria; PNP Chief Directorial Staff, incoming Lt. Gen. Emmanuel Peralta as well as Lt. Generals Benjie Santos, Filmore Escobal of APC-Eastern Mindanao and Patrick Villacorte of APC-Visayas. (Lt. Gen. Villacorte and Escobal are also set to retire this year).

Then there are Major Gen. Robert Rodriguez, the Director for Personnel and Records Management, Maj. Gen. Jon Arnaldo, the new PNP Director for Intelligence and Brigadier Generals Neil Alisangan, the Western Mindanao police director, Jimili Macareg, the PRO12 director in Soccsksargen region; and PNP Comptroller, also incoming Maj. Gen. Rommel Marbil, the youngest ‘Sambisig’ in the PNP who will retire July 2, 2025.

The Last Man Standing from PMA ‘Makatao’ Class of 1989 in the PNP is PNP Deputy Chief for Administration, Lt. Gen. Rhodel Sermonia who will bow out from the service on January 26 next year.

Then there are the five remaining members of PMA ‘Bigkis-Lahi’ Class of 1990 led by Lt. Gen. Pipoy Natividad, the commander of the Area Police Command-Northern Luzon who will retire this coming August 23.

Apart from Lt. Gen. Natividad, the remaining ‘Bigkis-Lahi’ members in the PNP are Maj. Generals Ritchie Posadas of the PNP National Training Institute ; Ato Bisnar, the former PNP-TCDS and Oliver Enmodias, the PNP Director for Research and Development; and Brig. Gen. Flynn Dongbo, the PNP Deputy Director for Logistics.

Both Bisnar and Dongbo have still more than a year to go before retiring and thus, could still qualify for promotion to the next higher rank.

Then there are the remaining 14 products of PMA ‘Tanglaw-Diwa’ Class which count among its members a number of 2-star generals namely Major Generals Estomo, Bernie Banac, Mario Reyes, Eric Noble, Bong Caramat and Belli Tamayo.

The Class also includes incoming Major Generals Leo Francisco, Ronald Lee, Sydney Hernia and Tateng Nartatez, the youngest member of the Class and now the NCRPO director. Nartatez,the last member of PMA Class 1992 who will retire on March 19, 2027 is highly-touted as the last ‘Bugo-Bugo’ who will head the police force during the PBBM administration

Other members of ‘Tanglaw-Diwa’ in the PNP are Brig. Generals Matthew Baccay, Mafie Bazar and Pat Obinque and Sydney Villaflor, the respective Police Regional Office 5 in Bicol region and PRO6 director in Western Visayas respectively.

Before I end, let me again mention that there are also two deserving members of PMA Class 1998 who have joined the PNP. Both lawyers too, Colonels Jess Castro and Alex Recinto however did not join the PNP as a ‘PMA Class’ and instead resigned from the AFP before entering the police force.

PLATE-ENDING REQUEST FOR A FEE RACKET MUST BE STOPPED BY LTO

On a personal note, I would like to call the attention of new Land Transportation Office chief , Attorney Vigor Mendoza II to strictly put a stop on the obvious ‘Plate-Ending Request’ for a fee racket by the country’s car dealers obviously in connivance with some LTO insiders.

It’s obvious that car dealers and their representatives as well as their LTO contacts are making a killing here.

The racket actually victimizes unsuspecting buyers of brand-new cars, vans and SUVs who are asked to pay P3,000 to as much as P5,000 in exchange for a final numeral on their license plate for many reasons, either due to the thing called ‘Feng Shui’ or just to avoid the hassle of the MMDA’s no-window number coding scheme.

I have been a witness to the racket a number of times while accompanying some friends who have bought new cars from car dealers in Taytay and Cainta, Rizal and some in Metro Manila. In Taytay, a friend was told to pay P3,500 to have a ‘Plate-Ending Request’ while another from Cainta needed to pay P5,000 for such a request.

When he was still the LTO chief, my friend retired Gen. Edgay Galvante got angry when I told him a Taytay car dealer was asking P3,500 for such a request. Gen. Galvante even called up the dealer to tell him there’s no such thing in the LTO.

Two weeks ago, I was shocked when a car dealer in Cainta casually told me that the ‘Plate-Ending Request’ fee is now at P5,000. The dealer told me it’s a common practice with the money aimed as payment for ‘an added service.’

I understand that the LTO had previously issued a statement that it will not condone such practice and sternly warned that it may withdraw the accreditation of the erring car dealer and their agents. However, the corrupt practice continues up to now and I’m sure that my friends and I are not the only ones who have been told to pay extra money for a ‘Plate-Ending Request.’

Time for the current LTO leadership to flex its muscle and go after car dealers engaged in the illegal practice. I think that the easiest and simplest way to catch car dealers and their sales representatives who are engaged in the illegal act is to use so-called ‘mystery shoppers’ or agents who will conduct the entrapment operations.