GRADUATES of the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) are now the main “rivals” for top police regional office (PRO) posts in the country, with their foremost competitors from the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) products already being “groomed” for 2-star positions in the 227,000-strong force, the Journal Group learned yesterday.

This was evident in the designation of Brigadier General Jose S. Hidalgo Jr. as the new PRO 3 director in Central Luzon on Thursday. The member of PNPA Class 1991 replaced the newly-retired Brig. Gen. Cesar DR Pasiwen of PNPA Class 1994.

At present, there are eight PNPA graduates or “Lakans” who are police regional directors (RDs).

They are Brig. Gen. John C. Chua (PNPA Class 1992) of the PRO 1 in Ilocos-Pangasinan region; Brig. Gen. Percival A. Rumbaoa (PNPA Class 1992) of PRO 2 in Cagayan Valley; Brig. Gen. Hidalgo of PRO 3; Brig. Gen. Rudolph B. Dimas (PNPA Class 1992) of the PRO 2 in Bicol region; Brig. Gen. Jerry F. Bearis (PNPA Class 1993) of PRO 7 in Central Visayas; Brig. Gen. Lawrence B. Coop (PNPA Class 1991) of PRO 10 in Northern Mindanao; Brig. Gen. Pablo G. Labra II (PNPA Class 1991) of PRO 13 in Caraga region; and Brig. Gen. John G. Guyguyon (PNPA Class 1991) of the PRO-Bangsamoro Administrative Region (BAR).

That means four PNPA Class 1991 products are now RDs, three from PNPA Class 1992, and one from PNPA Class 1993.

On the other hand, eight PMAers are police RDs in the country.

These include (PMA graduates) Major Gen. Jonnel C. Estomo (PMA Class 1992) of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO); Brig. Gen. Jose Melencio C. Nartatez Jr. (PMA Class 1992) of the PRO 4-A in Calabarzon region; Brig. Gen. Sydney S. Hernia (PMA Class 1992) of the PRO 4-B in Mimaropa region.

Brig. Gen. Leo M. Francisco (PMA Class 1992) of the PRO 6 in Western Visayas region; Brig. Gen. Rommel Francisco D. Marbil (PMA Class 1991) of the PRO 8 in Eastern Visayas region; Brig. Gen. Neil B. Alinsangan (PMA Class 1991) of the PRO 9 in Western Mindanao; Brig. Gen. Jimili L. Macaraeg (PMA Class 1991) of the PRO 12 in Central Mindanao region; and Brig. Gen. Mafelino A. Bazar (PMA Class 1992) of the Cordillera Police Regional Office.

The lone regional director, who is not a product of the PMA nor the PNPA, is a lawyer, Brig. Gen. Benjamin H. Silo Jr. of the PRO 11 in Southern Mindanao.

Journal Group sources said there is already a plan by the current PNP leadership headed by Gen. Rodolfo S. Azurin Jr. to move some of the RDs to a position that would earn them their 2nd-star to give other PNPA 1-star generals a “chance” to become regional director too.

On Wednesday, Hidalgo took over as the new PRO 3 director, vice Brig .Gen. Pasiwen – who reached the mandatory retirement age of 56. Pasiwen occupied the top Central Luzon police post since August 8 last year.

Hidalgo has been the 2nd highest official of the Metro Manila police force since April 20 last year.

Retiring from the PNP on July 15, 2025, he has ably assisted NCRPO Chief Maj. Gen. Estomo leading a successful effort to keep Metro Manila safe with an all-out campaign against drugs and other forms of criminality and terror.

The new PRO 3 regional director used to be a Northern Police District (NPD) director.

He also used to be assigned as the Chief Directorial Staff of the Southern Police District in 2018 and an Executive Officer of the PNP Directorate for Integrated Police Operations-Western Mindanao in May 2021.

He is also “no stranger” to PRO 3 as he used to be a Central Luzon Regional Mobile Force Battalion (RMFB) commander.

Hidalgo, in his inaugural speech, called on his men to further intensify their anti-criminality efforts in the region to surpass, if not sustain, the gains it already had, citing specifically the “war on drugs.”

For his part, Azurin rallied the personnel of PRO 3 to support the new director and continue to win the streets through excellent law enforcement and even better police-community relations.

As PRO 3 director, Hidalgo will be supervising all police law enforcement operations in the provinces of Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac, and Zambales.