PNPA spotlight falls on Ampatuan grandson at PNPA rites

MANILA, Philippines - The stigma of being a namesake of the principal suspect in the 2009 Maguindanao massacre did not prevent Cadet First Class Andal Ampatuan III from entering and graduating from the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA).

Ampatuan III, now with a rank of police inspector, is a grandson of former Maguindanao governor Andal Ampatuan Sr.

The younger Ampatuan was among the 246 graduates of the PNPA “Lakandula” Class of 2015. They will be automatically commissioned as officers in the PNP, Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) and Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP).

Ampatuan III’s mother is Bai Rebecca Ampatuan, a daughter of the former governor while his father is Akhmad Ampatuan, one of the accused who is now among those detained in Bicutan.

Aside from the Ampatuan patriarch, Ampatuan III’s uncle and namesake, former Unsay mayor Andal Jr., and another uncle, former Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao governor Zaldy, are also locked up in Bicutan as principal accused in the massacre case.

Ampatuan III admitted there was pressure when he first entered the academy in 2011 as a cadet but people there came to see him as a person separate from the murder case.

Ampatuan said he is thankful for completing the four-year education in the PNPA, which molds the character of every cadet as a person and public safety officer.

Mother Rebecca was there to celebrate the achievement. She said becoming a cadet at the PNPA has always been a dream of her son and she is very happy that he made this come true through hard work and determination.

“Before he was really affected but eventually he overcame and took it as a challenge,” she said, referring to the 2009 massacre that claimed the lives of 58 people.

“Actually, we are very proud because we have an Ampatuan as a PNP cadet. We are very proud, we could hardly express our feelings over this,” she said, adding there would be a small family celebration.

A Misuari

Another PNPA graduate is Cadet First Class Mohammadizar Caluang Misuari, from Sulu, but he clarified he is not related to fugitive Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) chief Nur Misuari.

“I’m not related to him. It so happened we have the same surname,” he said.

Although he is now a law enforcer and authorized to use firearms if necessary, the younger Misuari does not believe in armed confrontation. “For me peace talk, nothing else.”

Misuari said he has no idea yet where he would be assigned.

Idol and role model

The graduating cadets belonging to the “Lakandula” (LAhing KAyumanggi Na Handang I-alay sa Bayan ang DUgo at LAkas) Class are composed of 227 males and 20 females. One cadet did not join the graduation ceremony as he still had to fulfill requirements pursuant to infractions he had incurred.

Cadet 1st Class Dennis Yuson Jr. is the valedictorian.

In his valedictory speech, Yuson said the Mamasapano incident where 44 policemen were killed in a firefight with Muslim rebels last Jan. 25 would not be an obstacle to the goal of achieving peace.

Yuson said their batch would become instruments in enforcing the law and vowed to maintain the trust and confidence of the public in the police force.

Yuson, also the class president, said he was able to conquer all the challenges as a cadet and as class president by looking up to President Aquino as his idol and role model.

He also thanked his parents and siblings for all the support and for being an inspiration, especially his father and namesake Chief Insp. Dennis Yuson, who rose from the rank of PO1 to chief inspector currently assigned in Sultan Kudarat province.