Aquino’s appointment of PMA alumni to run PNPA hit

MANILA, Philippines—Talk about salted fried chicken.

Some graduates of the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) have expressed dismay over President Aquino’s decision to replace two key officials running the police academy with alumni of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA).

“It’s appalling. What the President did was like rubbing salt on the wounds of PNPA alumni,” an active senior police official told the Inquirer.

PNPA alumni have taken to referring to themselves as “fried chicken” and PMA graduates as “crispy pata.”

“The President could have used the opportunity to appoint a PNPA alumnus as director of the academy, one who understands the reforms needed to improve the education and training of the cadets,” he said.

Last week, Aquino appointed retired PNP Deputy Director General Ricardo de Leon to replace Ruben Platon as president of the Philippine Public Safety College (PPSC), which has administrative supervision over the PNPA.

A member of PMA Class 1971, De Leon is a former president of the Mindanao State University and was known to have close ties to former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

At the same time, Aquino named Chief Supt. Armando Ramolete, of PMA Class 1982, to succeed PNPA director Chief Supt. Noel Constantino, whose six-month tour of duty in the police academy ended on April 3.

A senior Malacañang official, who agreed to talk on condition of anonymity, said Aquino decided to sack Platon and Constantino over their bickering in the media.

“The President was disappointed by the behavior of both Platon and Constantino. But he did not want to give the impression that he was favoring one of them so he decided to dismiss them both,” the Palace official said.

In his visit to Camp Crame last week, the Chief Executive made known his displeasure over the rift between Platon and Constantino, who was ordered relieved by Platon as PNPA director last year over differences on running the police academy.

Constantino, in turn, accused Platon and other PPSC officials of irregularities and mismanagement of PNPA resources.

Addressing a ceremony honoring outstanding policemen recently, President Aquino said the two police officials were “acting like children,” reminding them that their responsibility was to the graduates of the PNPA and not to fight with each other.

Saying that he had been losing sleep over the two officials’ squabble, Aquino said: “They should be helping each other and correct the problem.”

Retired Chief Supt. Tomas Rentoy III, a member of the PNPA Alumni Association Inc., said the appointment of the two PMA alumni did not sit well with graduates of the Silang, Cavite-based police academy.

“There are PNPA graduates who have the capabilities and are qualified to lead the PNPA. It seems like the PNP does not trust PNPA graduates,” Rentoy said in a phone interview.

“That’s why we are calling on the President to designate a PNPA graduate to head the PNPA because we know the culture and practices at the academy that should be changed or retained,” he said.

Sought for comment, Senior Supt. Wilben Mayor, spokesman of PNP Director General Alan Purisima, defended the President’s decision, saying that both De Leon and Ramolete were qualified for the positions given to them.

“We do not consider the source of commissionship of the officers in their appointment. It doesn’t matter if you’re a graduate of the PNPA or PMA,” Mayor said.

“The more important thing is to ascertain who is the best qualified for the position. We should always look out for the best interest of the PNPA as an institution. We should upgrade it and make it a top-of-the-line (police academy).”