The Sinagtala Class of 1986 (English: light from above, lit. Starlight) was the first to graduate from the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) after the 1986 People Power revolution, and the first batch of new military officers to serve the administration of the late President Corazon Aquino.
About the class
In 1982, 357 cadets entered the Philippine Military Academy in Baguio; only 128 managed to graduate in 1986. The class valedictorian (ranking first in the class) was Gilbert Gapay, the class baron (immediate assistant of the commandant) and ranking second was Rozzano Briguez, and the class goat (lowest ranking in the class) was Arthur Biyo.
During their time in the academy, the country was undergoing massive political change. For most of their training, the commander-in-chief was the authoritarian President Ferdinand Marcos. However, in February 1986, the People Power Revolution overthrew Marcos and installed Corazon Aquino as the new President and commander-in-chief. The Sinagtala class became the first PMA class to graduate after the restoration of democracy in the Philippines.
As of February 2016, 21 alumni of the class have died while 41 have become generals: 26 in the Armed Forces of the Philippines and 15 in the Philippine National Police.
Notable members
| Rank | Name | Career | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
07 General |
Gapay, Gilbert I.Gilbert Gapay | Chairman of the Joint Chiefs (August 3, 2020–February 4, 2021) Chief of the Army (2019 – August 3, 2020) Class valedictorian |
|
07 Lieutenant General |
Briguez, Rozzano D.Rozzano Briguez | Commanding General of the Philippine Air Force (2018–2020) Class Baron and salutatorian |
|
07 Vice Admiral |
Allan Ferdinand V. Cusi | Superintendent of the Philippine Military Academy (2019–2020) | |
07 Police Director General |
Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa | Senator of the Philippines (2019–present) Director-General of the Bureau of Corrections (2018) Chief of the Philippine National Police (2016–2018) |
|
| 07 Police General |
Oscar Albayalde | Chief of the Philippine National Police (2018–2019) | |
| 07 Police General |
Archie Gamboa | Chief of the Philippine National Police (2019–2020) | |
| 07 Police General |
Camilo Cascolan | Chief of the Philippine National Police (2020) Undersecretary of the Department of Health |
|
| 07 General |
Felimon Santos Jr. | Chairman of the Joint Chiefs (2020) | |
07 Lieutenant General |
Ronnie Evangelista | Municipal Mayor, Rodriguez, Rizal (June 30, 2022–present) Commander Civil Relation Service Commander Special Operations Command (Socom) Superintendent Philippine Military Academy (2018–2019) |
|
| 07 Lieutenant General |
Macairog Alberto | Philippine Ambassador to the Israel (2020-present) Commanding General of the Philippine Army (2018–2019) |
|
| 07 Vice Admiral |
Robert Empedrad | Administrator of the Maritime Industry Authority (March 2, 2020–present) Flag Officer-in-Command of the Philippine Navy (2017–2020) |
- Vice Admiral Gaudencio C. Collado Jr. (Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs)
- Vice Admiral Rene V. Medina (former commander of the AFP Western Command)
- Lieutenant General Antonio Ramon A. Lim (Chief of the Joint Staff)
- Major General Alvin A. Parreño (former Commandant of the Philippine Marine Corps)
- Major General Reynaldo M. Aquino (Vice Commander of the Philippine Army)
- Police Major General Roel Obusan (PNP Chief of Criminal Investigation and Detection Group office)
- Police Lieutenant General Fernando Mendez (former PNP Deputy Chief for Administration)
- Major General Gems Molina Jr. (Deputy Chief of Staff of the AFP's Plans and Programs)
- Police Major General Jose Ma. Victor Ramos (PNP Chief of Logistics Office)
- Police Major General Ramon Purugganan (PNP Chief of Comptrollership Office)
- Police Major General Edwin Roque (PNP Chief of Plans Office)
- Police Major General Lyndon Cubos (PNP Chief of Personnel and Records Management Office)
- Police Major General Elmo Sarona (PNP Chief of Investigation and Detective Management Office)
- Police Major General Amador Corpus (PNP Chief of CIDG Office)
- Police Major General Noel Baraceros (PNP Chief of Center for Police Strategy Management Office)
- Police Major General Edward Carranza (PNP Chief for Logistics)
- Police Major General Ely Rasco (PNP Regional Director, Region 12)
- Police Major General Timoteo Pacleb (PNP Chief for Research and Development)
- Police Major General Joemar Espino (PNP Regional Director, Region 2)
- Police Major General Rey Biay (PNP Chief of Civil Security Group Office)
- Police Major General Egay Gonzales (PNP Chief of Intelligence Group Office)
- Police Major General Rex Acabado (PNP Chief of SOSIA Office)
- Police Major General Elpidio Gabriel (PNP Director, Training Service)
- Police Major General Noli Romana
- Police Major General Mariel Magaway
- Police Major General Marlon Ganzon
- Police Major General Ato Angara
- Police Major General Eleuterio Gutierrez
- Police Major General Eddie Benigay (AFPSLAI Trustee)
- Police Major General Ding Acio
- Police Major General Omar Buenafe (Bureau of Corrections Deputy Director)
- Police Major General Valfrie Tabian
- Police Major General Charlo Collado
- Police Major General Doy Trampe
- Police Major General Antonio Gardiola (LTFRB Board Member, LTFRB Regional Director)
- Police Brigadier General Joel Crisostomo De Leon Garcia
- Police Brigadier General Joselio Imperial
- Police Brigadier General Heriberto Olitoquit (AFPSLAI Trustee)
- Police Brigadier General Rafael P. Santiago
- Police Colonel Victorino Mina (PSSLAI Trustee)
- Police Colonel Cezar O. Mancao Jr.
- US Army Colonel Ellery Tiongson
- Second Lieutenant Dan Peña +
- Brigadier General Dionisio C. Baudin, Former Commander of 52nd Engineer Brigade (2018 - 2019)
- Brigadier General Arthur Biyo (Class Goat)
- Brigadier General Archimedes Viaje, former Inspector General of the PMA, former Dean of the Corps of Professors of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and current President of the National Defense College of the Philippines (NDCP)
- Brigadier General Raylindo Aniñon (Current Regional Director II-OCD BARMM)
- Brigadier General Joselito R. Serrano (Commandant of Combat Service Support School, TRADOC, PA)
See also
- The class the stars fell on – United States Military Academy Class of 1915
Notes
- Including cadets from other classes, a total of 174 graduated in 1986.
References
- ^ Dullana, Raymon (February 20, 2016). "PMA Sinagtala Class '86: Lessons after EDSA". Rappler. Archived from the original on September 23, 2020. Retrieved September 23, 2020.
- "Maiden Issue" (PDF). Sinagtala. Vol. 1, no. 1. Los Angeles, U.S.: Philippine Consulate General Los Angeles. March 2018. p. 1. Archived from the original (e-mail newsletter) on September 11, 2020. Retrieved September 11, 2020.
'SINAGTALA' is a Filipino word for starlight
- "Mula 'never heard' to ruling class ang PMA Class '86 sa PNP!". www.philstar.com. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
- "Wayback Machine has not archived that URL". politics.com.ph. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
- "PMA" Sinagtala" class of 1986". Eagle News. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
- Agency, Joey Razon-Philippine News (February 19, 2017). "PNP Chief leads "Sinagtala" Class of 1986 parade". Northbound Philippines News Online. Archived from the original on April 15, 2021. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
- "Philippine Military Academy Class 1986 member Gen. Roel Obusan retires | Journal Online". journal.com.ph. November 20, 2018. Archived from the original on February 10, 2020. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
- Lalu, Gabriel Pabico (October 15, 2018). "After 'mistah' named Army chief, Albayalde says Sinagtala Class '86 is PMA's best". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
- "PNP Chief leads "Sinagtala" Class of 1986 parade". www.pna.gov.ph. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
- ^ Farolan, Ramon J. (September 21, 2020). "Amazing journey of PMA Class of 1986". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Archived from the original on September 23, 2020. Retrieved September 23, 2020.
- Cimatu, Frank (March 16, 2018). "7 things you need to know about PMA valedictorians, barons". Rappler. Archived from the original on September 23, 2020. Retrieved September 23, 2020.
- "Army commander Gapay is next AFP chief". CNN Philippines. July 29, 2020. Archived from the original on July 30, 2020. Retrieved September 23, 2020.
- Nepomuceno, Priam (December 6, 2018). "Briguez named new Air Force chief". Philippine News Agency. Archived from the original on February 8, 2019. Retrieved September 23, 2020.
- "NDCP President – NDCPAAI".
- PA, OACPA. "PA Welcomes Newly-Promoted Army Generals". www.army.mil.ph. Retrieved May 14, 2021.