THEY are considered the Last of the Mojicans in the police force. I’m referring to the members of the last four Philippine Military Academy Classes, all my friends, who are currently leading the Philippine National Police although they will soon retire to be remembered by our dear nation for really serving with pride and distinction, all true to the PMA motto: Courage, Integrity, Loyalty.

Following the retirement from the police force last Sunday of Major General Eden Ugale of Philippine Military Academy ‘Bigkis-Lahi’ Class of 1990, there are only 38 Peemayers left in the Philippine National Police, all gearing up to be replaced by their contemporaries from the PNP Academy very soon.

At present, there are only four remaining members of PMA ‘Makatao’ Class of 1989 in the 227,000-strong organization led of course by PNP chief, General Jun Azurin who will retire this coming April 24.

The other three are PNP Deputy Chief for Administration, Lt. Gen. Rhodel Sermonia, retiring on January 26 next year; PNP Director for Comptrollership, Major Gen. Jess Cambay (retiring this coming April 20); and Maj. Gen. Val de Leon, the PNP Director for Information Communications and Technology Management who will retire from the force on May 7 this year.

By virtue of his rank and position as the PNP’s 2nd highest official, Lt. Gen. Sermonia is automatically a candidate in the race for the next Chief,PNP after Gen. Azurin although President Bongbong Marcos will always have the last say on who will his choice for the top PNP post after his fellow Ilocano-speaking Gen. Azurin.

Then there are the seven remaining members of PMA Class 1990 after Maj. Gen. Ugale. One of them is a 3 -star general namely Lt. Gen. Pipoy Natividad, the commander of the Area Police Command-Northern Luzon who will retire this coming August 23.

The others are all 2-star police generals. Major Gen. Ely Cruz, the PNP Director for Investigation and Detective Management who has been named as the commander of the Special Investigation Task Group ‘Degamo (retiring this coming June 14); Maj. Gen. Ronnie Olay, the PNP Director for Logistics who will retire on June 13);

Maj. Gen. Ato Bisnar, the erstwhile PNP The Chief Directorial Staff, now with the Office of the Chief,PNP, the youngest member of the Class who will retire on September 30, 2024, enough time for him to get his 3rd-star if luck will smile on his side; Brig. Gen. Flynn Dongbo, the PNP Deputy Director for Logistics who will retire on July 12, 2024;

Maj. Gen. Oliver Enmodias, the new PNP Director for Research and Development who will retire from the force this coming November 12; and Maj. Gen. Ritchie Posadas, the National Police Training Institute director who will retire on June 8, 2024.

The PMA ‘Sambisig’ Class of 1991 still has 13 active members in the police force. Of the 13, four are 3-star generals led by Lt. Gen. Mike Dubria, the PNP-TCDS or the 4th highest-ranked police official in the country. Dubria will retire on December 20, 2024.

The other 3-star PNP generals from PMA Class 1991 are Lt. Gen. Benjie Santos, the erstwhile PNP Deputy Chief for Operations who will retire this coming October 9; Lt. Gen. Vic Danao, a former PNP Officer-in-Charge and now the Area Police Command-Western Mindanao commander who will retire this coming August 10;

Lt. Gen. Filmore Escobal, the Area Police Command-Eastern Mindanao commander who will retire this coming November 5; and Lt. Gen. Patrick Villacorte, the Area Police Command-Visayas commander who will bow out of the service this coming November 28.

Four other members of the same Class are 2-star generals namely PNP Director for Intelligence, Maj. Gen. Benjie Acorda (retiring on December 3 next year); Maj. Gen. Jon Arnaldo, the PNP Director for Human Resource and Doctrine Development (retiring on October 3, 2024); Maj. Gen. Emmanuel Peralta, the PNP Director for Operations (retiring on August 24 next year); and Maj. Gen. Robert Rodriguez, the PNP Director for Personnel and Records Management (retiring on July 15, 2025).

Three others are currently 1-star generals and all PNP Regional Directors namely Brigadier Gen. Neil Alinsangan, the Police Regional Office 9 director in Western Mindanao (retiring September 5, 2025); Brig. Gen. Rommel Marbil, the PRO8 director in Eastern Visayas (retiring on February 7, 2025; and Brig. Gen. Jimili Macaraeg, the PRO12 director in Soccsksargen region (retiring on March 20, 2024).

Another member of the Class is Brig. Gen. Tony Yarra, a former Quezon City Police District director and Calabarzon police director who is now the Police Security and Protection Group director. He will retire from the force this coming August 4.

Then there are the members of PMA ‘Tanglaw-Diwa’ Class of 1992 in the police force led by new PNP Deputy Chief for Operations, Maj. Gen. Jonnel Estomo, a former National Capital Region Police Office director who will retire from the police on November 25 next year.

At present, there are only 14 members of PMA Class 1992 in the PNP led by Maj. Gen. Estomo whose designation as the PNP’s no. 3 official catapulted him as one of the top candidates to replace Gen. Azurin. Apart from Estomo, word is out in Camp Crame that the other candidates to be the 29th Chief,PNP are Lt. Gen. Sermonia and Maj. Gen. Acorda.

Three other members of PMA Class 1992 are already 2-star generals namely Ma. Gen. Bernie Banac, the PNP Director for Plans (he will retire on September 26, 2026); Maj. Gen. Mario Reyes, the PNP Director for Police-Community Relations who will retire on December 1 next year; and Maj. Gen. Eric Noble, the current PNP Academy director who will retire on January 16, 2024

The others are Brig. Gen. Bong Caramat, the current PNP-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group director who will retire on October 2, 2024; Brig. Gen. Sydney Hernia, the newly-installed director of the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group (retiring on October 20, 2025); Brig. Gen. Mafie Bazar, the new Area Police Command-Northern Luzon Deputy Commander (retiring on October 15, 2024). Caramat, Hernia and Bazar are set to get their 2nd-stars sooner or later;

Brig. Gen. Ronald Lee, a former PNP-CIDG the PNP Deputy Director for Intelligence (retiring on May 5, 2025); Brig. Gen. Leo Francisco, the Police Regional Office 6 director in Western Visayas (retiring on October 2, 2025); Brig. Gen. Patrick Obinque, the Police Regional Office 5 director in Bicol region who will retire on May 9, 2026;

Brig. Gen. Belli Tamayo, retiring on April 18, 2024; Brig. Gen. Sydney Villaflor, the PNP-CIDG deputy director who will retire on September 2, 2025; Brig. Gen. Matthew Baccay, a lawyer and currently the PNP Deputy Director for Personnel and Records Management (he will retire on September 21, 2026;

and last but not the least, Brig. Gen. Tateng Nartatez, the Police Regional Office 4-A director in Calabarzon region who happened to be the youngest member of PMA Class 1992 in the PNP and the last Peemayer who will bow out of the service on March 19, 2027. Many are betting that Tateng will be the last Peemayer to head the police force during the PBBM administration.