Phil. Military Academy vs. Phil. Nat'l Police Academy

By MORTZ C. ORTIGOZA

President Benigno Aquino III promised to look into complaints of alumni of the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) that they continue to be discriminated in the promotions and assignments in the Philippine National Police compared with graduates of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA).

Cadets of the Philippine Military Academy

Presently, there are only three PNPA graduates—all belonging to PNPA Class 1983—with the rank of chief superintendent, a star-rank position equivalent to brigadier general in the military.

On the other hand, about 150 members of PMA classes 1981 to 1984 are holding the rank of chief superintendent or higher.

“If you look at the police organization, the PMA alumni are the minority in the PNP while the PNPA graduates belong to the majority. But in terms of position, PMAyers hold the highest positions in the PNP,” Rosendo Dial, PNPA Alumni Association Inc. chair, lamented to newsmen.

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Although I did not see nowadays favoritism by a higher ranking PMAyer to a subordinate PMAyer at the Police Provincial Office (PPO) in Lingayen, Pangasinan that I used to frequent after I became friends with some top brass there, I did see however an instance of this cliché practice before.

It was the positioning of some police superintendents (Lt. Colonel in the military) for the post of the chief of police of the “lucrative” city police station in Dagupan where the three lobbyists came from the PMA (one) and the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) (two).

I asked the PMAyer that the shoo-in for the post, according to news men, would be the relative of the mayor and the endorsee of the powerful sect Iglesia ni Cristo.

He told me that I prepare my bet of P100 versus the P1 of this PNPA alumnus friend and expect a slum dunk in my wager.

“Alam mo pare, dito sa Pangasinan ang pinaka prestigious na position dito ay PD (provincial director), chief of police of Dagupan City, and intelligence chief ng PPO. Hindi naman ako puweding pabayaan ni PD (a PMAyer) dahil dalawa na lang kaming PMAyer dito”.

To make the long story short, he became the chief of police while nobody challenged my P100 versus the P1 in favor of the PNPA graduate.
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I just learned that one reason why PMA alumni scoff at PNPA graduates, except probably PNPA alumni 2004 upward, the latter just attended the Academy for two years after they earned certain units in college.

PMA graduates, according to a general, are molded in military tradition for four years where they grow up there with hazing, seniority, a fear of the Horror, er, Honor Code, and other regimental Spartan education.

Cadets of the Philippine National Police Academy

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Recently national dailies blared with headlines about President Simeon Benigno Aquino III chided Senior Supt. Conrad Capa during the police anniversary at Camp Crame.

The more Aquino gives disparaging remarks on Capa , the more the people believe that he "mingled"  for the release of big time swindler Delfin Lee as insinuated by Capa when he poured his sentiment against Chief PNP Director Purisima who reassigned him to Cebu as Deputy Regional Director for Operation instead of a prestigious post as a result of his feats.

Granted, without Capa as head of the Task Force Tugis that arrested Lee, suspicion permeate the air that Purisima and Aquino would have allowed Lee, an alleged contributor of Aquino on his successful foray to the presidency, to abscond at the expense of the thousands of his victims including the government holding the proverbial empty bag.

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10 chiefs of police (COP) and personnel at the PPO in Pangasinan have been stripped off of their assignment. Source said this was due to the directive of PNP Chief Purisima that officers who serve the province for more than 10 years be reassigned outside the local government unit (LGU).

But a COP who barely warmed his seat has asked his superior to be reassigned from his present post.

Reason: He displeased the mayor of the local government unit (LGU) he serves who wants him to manipulate a case.

Source said there was also a threat to the life of the chief. What? Gee whiz, because of the threat the COP cowered for reassignment? “What happened to our country, general? Posed by then Vice-President Emmanuel Pelaez to General Tomas Karingal when the former survived an ambush.

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 I remembered years ago about a no-nonsense chief who was then a captain who arrested a brother of a mayor because the brother and his gang have become unruly in a beer house and even fired his pistol there.

When arrested by responding lawmen and thrown in the calaboose the hizzoner’s sibling badmouthed and threatened the chief to be relieved.

“I packed my things as I plan to be relieved anytime after I upset the mayor after I filed the illegal possession of firearm and alarm and scandal against his brother and his friends”.

The captain told his provincial director that he be relieved soon since his relationship with the mayor, who appointed him, has been strained.

“Stay put in your post,” barked by the PD on the other line of the phone.

But the mayor has connection with the powers that be who called the PD (who is now a top police official) to drop the cases the COP filed against the wayward brother and his unruly friends.

“Withdraw mo na ang kaso para hindi na magulo,” ordered to him by his superior.

The captain soldiered on to the request of the PD who acquiesced too for his request to be relieved as he did not want to serve anymore the mayor.