Eleazar, Lacson lead awardees at PMA alumni homecoming

MANILA, Philippines — Presidential candidate Sen. Panfilo Lacson and his senatorial candidate Guillermo Eleazar received awards during the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) alumni homecoming in Baguio City yesterday.

Lacson, a member of PMA Class 1971 and former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, received the PMA Alumni Association Inc. (PMAAAI)’s coveted Lifetime Achievement Award for dedicating five decades of his life to public service. Eleazar, another former top cop, was conferred the Outstanding Achievement Award at a ceremony held at Fort Del Pilar in honor of his decorated service in the PNP, highlighted by his leadership at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A member of PMA “Hinirang” Class 1987, Eleazar thanked the PMAAAI for acknowledging his transformative leadership of the PNP, which focused on internal cleansing and reforms to improve its services.

“To be recognized by your own alma mater is something that will really make you proud because this simply means that you lived up to its teachings and expectations. In the case of the PMA, living up to its core values of courage, honor and integrity,” he said.

Among the PNP measures he initiated were the nameless and faceless recruitment system through QR Code; strict and fast implementation of disciplinary measures against erring cops; improved coordination with other agencies in conducting anti-crime operations and easier public filing of complaints and requests for police assistance through social media.
It was also Eleazar who led in the fast distribution of body-worn cameras and coordinated with the Supreme Court for a guideline in their use during police operations to ensure transparency and accountability amid allegations of human rights abuses and extra-judicial killings.

He also stood for the opening of PNP documents on anti-illegal drug operations by coordinating with the Department of Justice (DOJ), leading to the probe of those who committed abuses in the conduct of the war on drugs.

Apart from Eleazar, seven other fellow PMA alumni who achieved great heights in public service and other fields were given the same recognition.

Eleazar is seeking a Senate seat in the May 9 elections under the Partido Reporma ticket of Lacson.

The PMAAAI Board of Directors said it voted unanimously to confer the award on Lacson this year for his “exemplary and unblemished service to the country” characterized by his “faithful adherence” to the virtues of PMA.

“Thank you Philippine Military Academy for recognizing my 50 years of dedicated service to country and people and for the arduous four years of imbibing in me the values of Courage, Integrity and Loyalty,” Lacson said.

Meanwhile, Baguio City Mayor and former PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) director Benjamin Magalong was also awarded for Outstanding Accomplishment in Public Administration at the grand PMA event.

This year’s Cavalier Awardees were Manila Police District director Brig. Gen. Leo Francisco (Class ’82), Crispiniano Acosta (Class ’82), Erwin Rommel Luga (Class ’82), Edgardo de Leon (Class ’88), Michael Ray Aquino (Class ’88), Army Maj. Gen. William Gonzales (Class ’89), Coast Guard Commodore Roy Echeverria (Class ’93), Air Force Col. Melvin Banua (Class ’87), Army Lt. Col. Herbert Dilag (Class ’88), Navy Col. Ashley Nastor (Class 2000), Army Col. Gladius Calilan (Class ’01), Paul Mendoza (Class ’06) for air operations as junior officer and Junrey Sajulga (Class ’13) for naval operations as junior officer.