Marcos okays promotion of 4 PNP, 8 AFP generals

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. delivers a speech at Malacañan Palace grounds in Manila City on Friday, Jan. 12, 2024. (Photo by RYAN LEAGOGO / INQUIRER.net)

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has approved the promotion of four generals of the Philippine National Police and eight senior officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Four police generals were promoted during a donning of ranks ceremony presided over by PNP chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr. at the PNP headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City.

They were Lt. Gen. Jonnel Estomo, commander of Area Police Command (APC) in Western Mindanao; Maj. Gen. Ronald Lee, head of the Directorate for Human Resource and Doctrine Development; Brig. Gen. Ramil Montilla, executive officer of APC in Eastern Mindanao; and Brig. Gen. Arnold Maralag, director of Headquarters Support Service.

With the latest promotions, the PNP now has 118 generals: one general; five lieutenant generals; 22 major generals; and 90 brigadier generals.

In the AFP, military chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. also presided over a similar donning of ranks on eight newly promoted officers in a ceremony at Camp Aguinaldo.

They were Maj. Gen. Edmundo Peralta, chief of the Intelligence Service; Maj. Gen. Allan Hambala, commander of the Philippine Army’s 10th Infantry Division; Maj. Gen. Leodevic Guinid, vice commander of the PA; Maj. Gen. Ramon Zagala, commander of the Civil Relations Service; Commodore Richard Gonzaga, deputy commander of AFP Education, Training, and Doctrine Command; Brig. Gen. Joselito Lopeña, chief of the AFP Pension and Gratuity Management Center; Commodore Brendo Casaclang, commander of Joint Task Force Malampaya; and Brig. Gen. Ranulfo Sevilla, deputy commander of Special Operations Command.

Meanwhile, Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos said the evaluation and processing of the promotion of third-level officers of the Philippine National Police will now be completed within a month upon receipt of complete documentary requirements.

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Strict timeline

This was after the National Police Commission (Napolcom) issued Resolution No. 2023-1704, which prescribes a 30-day timeline to complete the processing of recommendations for the promotion of police officers to the rank of colonel to lieutenant general.

According to Abalos, who is the concurrent ex-officio chairperson of the Napolcom, there was a need to impose a strict timeline to promote efficiency and transparency and avoid partiality in processing the recommendations for promotion of the third-level officers.

“As we expect the PNP to ensure that all our streets are peaceful and secure, we want to repay their service to the country and to the Filipino people,” Abalos said in a statement on Friday.

“Through this Napolcom resolution, we will have a proper system in place to expedite the processing of the promotion of worthy PNP officials.”

Section 14(e) of Republic Act No. 6975 authorizes the Napolcom to develop policies on the promotion of members of the PNP.