MANILA, Philippines - A total of 17 alumni of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) won the recently-concluded midterm polls and assumed their respective posts last Monday.
Col. Romeo Brawner Jr., chairman of the public relations committee of the PMA Alumni Association Inc., said these former soldiers could pursue their advocacies through public office.
“PMA alumni running for public office is not a new practice in the country. In fact, more and more cavaliers are turning to politics after retiring from the service to continue their advocacies and serve the people and the nation,†he said in a statement.
Two PMA alumni won the senatorial race namely Sen. Gregorio Honasan of class ’71 and Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV of class ’95.
Both Honasan and Trillanes had colorful military careers and were involved in military adventurism.
Honasan led a series of uprisings against President Corazon Aquino, whom he helped install to power in 1986.
Trillanes, meanwhile, was a leader of the Magdalo group that demanded the resignation of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
Magdalo, now a party-list group, also won two congressional seats and is now being represented by Garry Alejano (class ‘95) and Francisco Ashley Acedillo (class ‘99).
Other prominent PMA alumni who won the elections are Muntinlupa Rep. Rodolfo Biazon (class ‘61) and Zambales Gov. Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. (class ’70).
A former senator, Biazon served as the Armed Forces Chief of Staff for less than three months in 1991.
Ebdane, meanwhile, was the Philippine National Police chief during the 2004 election, which Arroyo critics claimed, was tainted with fraud. He also served as defense and public works secretary during the Arroyo administration.
Other PMA alumni who emerged victorious during the last election were Lubang, Occidental Mindoro Mayor Juan Sanchez (class ‘55); Antipolo City Rep. Romeo Acop (class ‘70), Pangasinan Gov. Amado Espino Jr. (class ‘72), San Manuel, Tarlac Mayor Benjamin Tesoro (class ‘75); Alabat, Quezon Mayor Fernando Mesa (class ‘75), Pangasinan 2nd District Rep. Leopoldo Bataoil (class ‘76), Tuguegarao, Cagayan Mayor Jefferson Soriano (class ‘76), Laoac, Pangasinan Mayor Silverio Alarcio Jr. (class ‘76), Bangui, Ilocos Norte Vice-Mayor Fidel Cimatu Jr. (class ‘77); Anti-Crime and Terrorism thru Community Involvement Support Partylist Rep. Samuel Pagdilao Jr. (class ‘79) and Barotac Viejo, Iloilo Mayor Raul Tupas (class ‘94).
Some PMA alumni, however, are not as fortunate and lost their election bids.
Among those who lost were Ramon Montano (class ’58), a former Constabulary chief who ran for Senate; Mario Chan (class ’78), who ran for mayor in Agoo, La Union; and Raoul Reyes, (class ’80), who lost his mayoralty bid in Murcia, Negros Occidental. – Alexis Romero