PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Nicolas Torre III gave assurance that there will be no discrimination of generals in the service who graduated from the Philippine Military Academy (PMA), citing his preference on merit over the educational institution where they came from.
PMA graduates usually held key ranks and posts in the PNP even if they are outnumbered by the PNPA, which occasionally drove a wedge between the alumni from the two academies.
“I don’t think it’s a good practice to favor somebody because of the source of commission rather than the merits of track records that they did when they were in the service,” Torre said.
He said he has no problem whatsoever working with anyone even if he is a fellow “Lakan or a Cavalier.”
Lakan is the term for PNPA graduates, while, Cavalier and PMAer referred to graduates of the elite military academy in Baguio City.
Torre cited Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr., PNP deputy chief for administration, as an example.
Nartatez was a member of the Tanglaw-Diwa Class of 1992, as well as PNP deputy chief for operations Lt. Gen. Robert Rodriguez who belonged to the PMA Sambisig Class of 1991.
“The key directorial staffs are manned by PMAers,” Torre noted.
There are two other police generals from PMA Class 91 namely, Lt. Gen Robert Rodriguez and PNP comptroller Maj. Gen. Neil Alinsangan.
There are seven other PNP senior officers who graduated from the PMP in 1992. They are Lt. Gen Bernard Banac, the current chief of Area Police Command-Western Mindanao, Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr., deputy chief for administration; Maj. Gen. Patrick Obinque, director for
intelligence; Maj. Gen. Sidney Hernia, APC-Southern Luzon commander; Maj. Gen. Sidney Villaflor; director for human resource and doctrine
development; Maj. Gen. Leo Francisco, director of civil security group; and Brig. Gen. Matthew Baccay, director for investigation and detective management
With Torre serving nearly two years as PNP chief, it is likely his successor would also come from the PNPA which is located at Camp General Mariano Castaneda in Silang, Cavite.
Torre was the first PNPA graduate who rose to the top post of the PNP.
