I would like to dedicate this piece to good friends from the Philippine Military Academy ‘Makabayan’ Class of 1975 and the Philippine National Police Academy ‘Patnubay’ Class of 1995 whose members recently marked another milestone in their lives.

Members of PMA Class 1975 were the Golden Jubilarians during the 2025 PMA Homecoming at Fort del Pilar in Baguio City last February 15 which was attended by almost 2,000 Cavaliers, many of them officers who have served or are still serving with distinction in the national police force.

Of course, I cannot forget my Ninong Geary Barias, a former Metro Manila and Western Visayas police director who retired as PNP Deputy Chief for Administration. Others are retired Generals Noe Wong, Ray Roderos, Willy Dulay, Raul Gonzales, Gerry Doria, Van Luspo, Dick Capuyan, Nap Cachuela, Charlemagne Alejandrino, Dante Ferrer and last but not the least Joseph Castro.

These PMA Class 1975 members, along with other departed ones, really served the country with pride and honor for more than three decades until they silently went to retirement to be with their families. Already gone are Generals Ismael Rafanan, Dennis Regis, Ronald Roderos and Nap delos Santos. My prayers for their souls.

On the other hand, members of PNPA Class 1995 marked their 30th anniversary as a Class last March 15. During the 45th PNPA Grand Alumni Homecoming, Lakans and Lakambinis from the police academy were honored for their exemplary service to the country.

Friends from the ‘Patnubay’ Class of 1995 told me there were 138 of them when they graduated on April 18, 1995. Of the 138, 10 joined the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, 10 went to the Bureau of Fire Protection and the remaining 118 joined the Philippine National Police.

Thirty years later, the Class has already produced eight Police Regional Directors, 10 heads of different PNP National Operational and Administrative Support Units and another is a current District Director in Metro Manila. Four of them also became lawyers with three still in the active police service.

The PNPA Class 1995 members who are currently Police Regional Office directors are the following: PRO4-A director in Calabarzon region Brigadier General Kenneth Paul Lucas; PRO7 director in Central Visayas Brig. Gen. Red Maranan; PRO8 director in Eastern Visayas Brig. Gen. Jay ‘Jaycom’ Cumigad; PRO9 director in Western Mindanao Brig. Gen. Roel ‘Toto/Ompong’ Rodolfo; PRO10 director in Northern Mindanao Brig. Gen. Jaysen ‘Jay/Degz/Degoy’ de Guzman;

PRO11 director in Southern Mindanao Brig. Gen. Leon Victor ‘Leon/LVR’ Rosete; PRO12 director in Soccsksargen region Brig. Gen. Arnold ‘Ardz’ Ardiente; and PRO-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao director Brig. Gen. Romy Macapaz. Brig. Gen. Rosete also has a brother-classmate named Col. Daniel ‘Dane/Sitong’ Rosete.

The ‘Patnubay’ members who are commanding other key positions in the PNP are the following: Brig. Gen. Ely ‘Noy/Mats’ Matta of the Highway Patrol Group; Colonel and incoming Brig. Gen. Elmer ‘Rags/Squeeze’ Ragay of the Anti-Kidnapping Group; Police Security and Protection Group director Brig. Gen. Nestor ‘Cocoy’ Babagay; PNP Retirement and Benefits Administration Service director Brig. Gen. Dindo ’Doods’ Reyes; EOD/K9 Group director Brig. Gen. Albert ;Mags/Nips’ Magno; PNP Peace Process and Development Center director.

PNP Drug Enforcement Group head Col. Rolando ‘Coy/Ollie Boy’ Cuya Jr.; Brig. Gen. Joseph ‘Otep’ Arguelles; Information Technology Management Service director Brig. Gen. Edwin Quilates; Forensic Group director Brig. Gen. Benjamin ‘Bing/Benjie’ Sembrano ; Women and Children Protection Center director Brig. Gen. Portia ‘Gie/Ponchang’ Manalad; PNP Public Information Office chief incoming Brig. Gen. Randulf ‘Randel/Dhey’ Tuaño; and PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group director Brig. Gen. Bernard ‘Bernie’ Yang.

Another member, Brig. Gen. Manny Abrugena is the current Southern Police District director. Brig. Gen. Manalad for the record is the first woman to graduate from the premier police academy. She has rewritten many records in the PNP’s fabled history, even becoming the first female Cotabato City Police Office director. Right now, she is leading the PNP unit tasked to protect the country’s women and children from abusers including foreign sex fiends.

The Class has four lawyers namely Brigadier Generals Wilson Asueta, Quilates, Ardiente and now retired Colonel Henry Biñas.

Other members of PNPA Class 1995 who are holding key positions in the police force at present are the following: HPG deputy director for administration Colonel Bobby ‘Bob/Kits’ Abao, Col. Adolph ‘Boykie’Idoy’ Almendra of the Directorate for Human Resource and Doctrine Development; Brig. Gen. Asueta, the deputy director of the Directorate for Information Communications and Technology Management;

PRO7 Deputy Director for Administration Brig. Gen. Dionisio ‘Jhun/Diony’ Bartolome; Civil Security Group Executive Officer Brig. Gen. Clint Bayacsan; PNPA Chief of Staff, Col. Roemo /Mon/Berangz’ Berango; PNP Directorate for Plans-LOOP head Col. Primitivo ‘Jun/Prime’ Bayongan Jr.; PRO6 Deputy Regional Director for Operations Col. Joriz ‘Joko/Jorka’ Cantoria; PNP Recruitment Service head Col. Reynaldo ‘Tinoy/Bogs’ Celestino;

PNP-DPL Ex-O Brig. Gen. Christopher ‘Krugggs/Krugger’ Dela Cruz; PNP-PPDC deputy chief Col. Francisco ‘Frank/Kiko’ Ebreo; Logistics Support Service deputy director Col. Rhode ‘Espy’ Espero; PSPG deputy director Col. Dennis ‘Den-Den’ Esguerra; WCPC deputy director Col. Isagani ‘Sonny’ Fetizanan; HPG Region 6 chief Col. Neil ‘Franz’ Francia;

PNP Finance Service 9 chief Col. Joselito ‘Ontoy’ Gallano; PRO9 deputy regional director for administration Col. Ronaldo ‘Guy/Lakay’ Gayo; PNP Internal Affairs Service deputy director Brig. Gen. Segundo ‘Junior/Lags’ Lagundi Jr.; PRO13 DRDA Col. Michael ‘Ike/Lebs’ Lebanan;

Human Rights Affairs Office deputy director Col. Cesar ‘Magsi’ Magsino; PRO-BARRM DRDA Col. Alan ‘Nonong/Boggs/ Manibog; Brig. Gen. Roderick Mariano; NCRPO Chief Regional Staff Col. Erosito ‘Miranda; PNP-PIO deputy director Col. Froilan ‘Totoy/Etwin/ Navarroza;

NCRPO Deputy Regional Director for Operations Brig. Gen. Ponce Rogelio ‘Pons/Pojie’ Peñones Jr.; Col. Edwin ‘Ports/Tintoy’ Portento; PRO-Cordillera DRDA Brig. Gen. Rogelio ‘Munding’ Zabala Jr.; Col. Victorino ‘Nonoy’ Romanillos Jr.; Brig. Gen. William ‘Willy’ Segun; Brig. Gen. Rogelio ‘Rogie’ Simon; Criminal Investigation and Detection Group deputy director Col. Rolindo ‘Dhongkie/Sugz’ Suguilon; Col. Ranny ‘Taps’ Tapat of the PSPG;

Col. Jomil ‘Pong/George’ Trio of the Directorate for Plans; Brig. Gen. Noel ‘Weng/Valsky’ Vallo, the deputy director of the Directorate for Plans; Police Attache in Washington DC Col. Moises Villaceran Jr.; Col. Rommel ‘Sayoyong/Lemmor Villamor of the Butuan City police; and Col. Jomar ‘Yadi/Bunot’ Yap of the PNP-CSG.

Brig. Gen. Pojie Peñones is currently the President of the Class. Lest I forget, some of their members are long-time friends who have already retired from the police force including Brig. Generals Rizalito ‘Zaldy’ Gapas, Bernie ‘Rig/Boy’ Orig; Alden Delvo, Reynaldo ‘Arby’ dela Cruz and Radel ‘Somar’Ramos’ Ramos and Colonels Audie ‘Odie’ Madrideo and Richard ‘Eshat’ Basco.

My prayers too goes to two members of the Class who have passed away already, my good friend Col. Marion ‘Legend’ Balonglong and Col. Hermogenes ‘Moc/Cabs’ Cabe. Balonglong was still a young Police Inspector when he first met him at the now defunct PNP Narcotics Command.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Alfred P. Dalizon