Tausug leads PNPA grads as corps commander

SILANG, Cavite—While some of his fellow Tausugs sailed to Sabah to “reclaim” the territory from Malaysia and rectify what they insist was a historical anomaly, Aiman Jumlani Kamlon silently etched his name in Philippine history.

Cadet First Class Kamlon, a native of Jolo, Sulu, will be the first Tausug to graduate as regimental commander or first captain of the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA).

Kamlon, 22, also ranked sixth in this year’s graduating class of 269 cadets, which calls itself the PNPA Tagapamagitan Class of 2013.

“This is a proud moment for me and my family because this is the first time a Muslim was designated regimental commander of the PNPA,” Kamlon told the Inquirer in an interview on Sunday.

Cadet First Class Jhon Felix Pascual Jr. of Iguig, Cagayan, topped the newest batch of graduates of the country’s only police academy.

Pascual will receive the Presidential Kampilan Award from President Aquino during graduation rites at the PNPA grounds in Camp Castañeda here on Friday. The President will also lead their designation as inspectors.

“I feel both happy and anxious. Being No. 1 in the class, I know there are so many expectations from me. There are many challenges ahead of me,” Pascual said.

He said he and his classmates decided to name their class “tagapamagitan” (mediator) because they wanted to be “the bridge of the government in delivering justice and public safety services to the people.”

Ruben Platon, president of the Philippine Public Safety College (PPSC), which has administrative supervision over the PNPA, will officially announce the top 10 of the graduating class on Monday.

As regimental commander, Kamlon headed the entire PNPA cadet corps during his senior year at the police academy, according to Chief Insp. Ritchie Yatar, chief of the PNPA’s public information office.

Kamlon will receive the Leadership Kampilan Award from Senior Supt. Leonardo Cesneros, officer in charge of the PNPA.

“A regimental commander is like the chief of staff of the Armed Forces or the director general of the PNP. He is the leader of the cadet corps,” Yatar said.

“This is proof that there is no discrimination here at the PNPA. Kamlon is an example that the PNPA’s doors are open to our fellow Muslims from Mindanao,” said Yatar, who is also a Muslim.

Besides Kamlon, Yatar said two other Muslim cadets were among the top 10 in the graduating class, the first time this happened in the PNPA’s 35-year history.

Cadet First Class Mohammad Fahad Dinampo Julwadi of Zamboanga City placed fourth in the class, while Cadet First Class Aiman Khuzaimah Pantaran placed ninth.

This year, 235 cadets will join the PNP, while 34 will sign up with the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology.

Since the PNPA opened in 1978, this was the first time none of the graduating class joined the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Yatar said.

Others who made it to the top 10 were Cadet First Class Christian Javier (2nd), CFC Davis Dulawan (3rd), CFC Markson Almeranez (5th), CFC Mark Francis Bauya (7th), CFC Nino Aquiatan (8th) and CFC Zynon Paiking (10th).