The Final PMA Graduates in Police Service
When the law establishing the Philippine National Police (PNP) was passed in 1991, it brought an important change: graduates of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) were no longer allowed to join the police force. The last batch to enjoy this option was the Tangla-Diwa Class of 1992. Fast forward to May 2025, only seven members of this class remain in active duty, with Police Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez marking the end of an era as the last to retire.
Police Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez: A Storied Career
Nartatez, a proud native of Ilocos Sur, currently serves as the Deputy Chief of Administration, the second highest position in the PNP. His roots are historically significant, tracing back to Gabriela Silang, the first Filipina who led the revolt against Spanish rule.
He entered the PMA straight from high school and chose to pursue a career in the police force after holding various military posts. His leadership in jungle operations against communist insurgents in Laguna and Quezon, as well as counter-terrorism efforts in Basilan and other Mindanao regions, earned him deep respect from his peers and subordinates.
Throughout his career, Nartatez has held key positions—from town police chief in Zambales to provincial police chief of Laguna. He also directed the Finance Service and later led the Police Regional Office 4A, covering the Calabarzon provinces: Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon. Subsequently, he became the director of the National Capital Region Police Office before ascending to the PNP’s number two spot. His appointment sparked speculation that he might succeed the outgoing national police chief, Rommel Francisco Marbil.
The Dark Horse: Lt. Gen. Bernard Banac
Meanwhile, another member of the Tangla-Diwa Class, Police Lt. Gen. Bernard Banac, serves as commander of the Area Police Command-Western Mindanao. Unlike most of his classmates stationed in Luzon, Banac oversaw the peaceful conduct of the recent midterm elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
Banac’s career began as a Special Action Force company commander from 1992 to 1996. He then served as security aide to a former Interior and Local Government Secretary from 1996 to 1998. Rising steadily, Banac commanded the Greenhills Police precinct and led the Kamuning Police Station in Quezon City. He also contributed as an instructor for the TABA Cops Program in Subic Bay.
His international experience includes serving as a technical adviser for the United Nations Police Arms Embargo Cell in Ivory Coast and as operations and planning officer for the UN mission in Kosovo. These assignments expanded his expertise through various local and international police and military training programs. In 2012, he was honored as one of the Country’s Outstanding Policemen in Service by a major foundation.
Both Nartatez and Banac represent the final generation of PMA graduates shaping the Philippine National Police. Their careers highlight a critical transition period in Philippine law enforcement history.
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