104. 13 DISTINGUISHED, TOP-RANKED MILITARY MEN OF PAMPANGA, part I

Brave warriors, fearless soldiers, and dauntless freedom fighters—all figured prominently in our early provincial history. Here is a more contemporary list of our finest Kapampangans in uniform who have managed to ascend up our country’s military hierarchy—top-ranked and acclaimed for their boldness achievements.

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PNP Chief OSCAR D. ALBAYALDE

The current Philippine National Police director who replaced Ronald “Bato” de la Rosa was born in San Fernando (b. 8 Nov. 1963). Oscar David Albayalde went to local city schools : San Fernando Elementary School, Pampanga High School, University of Assumption. He graduated with cum laude honors from the Philippine Military Academy Sinagtala Class of 1986, and also finished his Masters in Public Adminsitration at  MLQ University. He started his service with the Police Constabulary Special Action Force (SAF) from 1986-91. Among his  significant positions in the Police Regional Office-3 were: Acting Provincial Director of Pampanga Police; Chief, Regional Intelligence Division; Chief,Regional Police Coommunity Relations, and Chief, Regional Investigations Division. Albayalde was named Outstanding Kapampangan in Law Enforcement in 2016.

Col. JUAN E. ARROYO

The Philippine National Police - Communications and Electronics Service (PNP-CES) traces its beginnings at the turn of the 20th century, originally known as the “SIGNAL CORPS” which contributed to the development of the communications systems and facilities of the police force. In the critical war years,  beginning in 1941, Col. Juan E. Arroyo  was designated Chief Signal officer of the Philippine Constabulary (PC)  until 1942, when the Japanese took over the islands. In the period leading  to our  liberation, Col. Arroyo resumed his post as PC Signal Officer. After the war, he became the manager of the National Steel Corp., The Arroyos are from Candaba.

Col. EMIGDIO C. CRUZ

Col. Emigdio "Meding" C. Cruz of Arayat went to U.P., finishing a Liberal Arts course in 1923 and Medicine in 1929, at a rather late age of 31. He was Pres. Manuel L. Quezon’s chief physician and trusted aide during the War years. He was the recipient of the Philippine Congressional Medal of Valor and Distinguished Service Cross in 1948, the highest award that the Philippine government can give to its citizens,  for his “daring resourcefulness and long sustained courage” he displayed at the height of the second World War. After Quezon’s death in 1944, Meding lingered in the U.S., doing stints at Walter Reed Hospital, Brunns General Hospital, Ann Arbor University Hospital and the Barnes General Hospital in Missouri. He returned to the Philippines in Feb. 1946. Today, a government hospital stands in Arayat—the Dr. Emigdio C. Cruz Medical Center--named after the decorated physician-patriot who passed away in 1978.

Brig. Gen. RENE R. CRUZ

Arayat son Gen. Rene R. Cruz had an illustrious military career. As a colonel, he was connected with the Philippine National Police Academy. He was also the former RaCom Commander and PC-INP Commander and, like all high-ranking officers, was drawn into the People Power revolution in 1986. After the police general retired, he became a director of the Bataan Shipyard and Engineering Co. Inc. (Baseco). Gen, Cruz also headed the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) from 1993-96. It was during his term that boxer Manuel Velasco won an Olympic silver in the Atlanta Olympics in 1996. He was honored by his alma mater, University of the East, a Distinguished Alumnus in Military Science award, where he finished in 1957. He passed away of heat attack, 30 Sept. 2015.

Brig. Gen. ROMEO S. DAVID

The unico hijo of a former San Fernando vice mayor and a public school teacher, Romeo Soliman David attended local schools, graduating in 1951 at the Pampanga High School. He pursued an engineering course in Manila but opted for Philippine Military Academy when he passed the admission.  At PMA, he shone in sports and in academics, and graduated among the top of his class in 1956. He became a pilot for the Philippine Air Force and was sent off by the Philippine government for pilot training in the U.S. he also underwent advanced studies at the United States Air War College in Air University, Alabama USA in 1983. David served as military air base commander and commanding general of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Regional Unified Command III. After his retirement, then Pres. Cory Aquino appointed him as president  of Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation in 1987-1989. Pres. Fidel Ramos named him as president and CEO of Clark Development Corporation and Clark International Airport in 1995-1998. The retired general heads the Rainbow Rising High Co., Inc., a natural gas producer based in Palawan.

Brig. Gen. VIRGILIO M. DAVID

The general from Bacolor, Virgilio Mañago David, was a PMA graduate, and an alumnus of Pampanga High School,  Class of 1954. He was a former National Police Commissioner, and served as the Anti-Drug Chief of during the term of president Cory Aquino. As head of the Narcotics Command (NARCOM), he had to revamp the agency of over 1,000 men which had been plagued with corruption charges under 2 previous heads.  Upon retirement,  he was appointed administrator of the Philippine Coconut Authority from 1992-98. He then became its director, but his term was marred by an incident when, in late May 2005, during an altercation with a person who parked his car in front of his house, the general fired his gun, injuring a construction worker nearby.

Col. MIGUEL NICDAO

Guagua-born Col. Miguel Nicdao (b. 8 May 1888/d. 1938), was but 15 when he became a pensionado (government scholar)  to the U.S., a batchmate of Jose Abad Santos. With six other Filipinos, Nicdao began his studies at Illinois State Normal University,  became a champion orator, and  graduated with an Education degree—the youngest of the 1907 batch. Once home, he started work as Principal of the San Luis Intermediate School. He was also assigned in Mabalacat, Apalit and in San Fernando where he was with Pampanga High School  for 3 years. The young teacher found it frustrating to advance in his career, so in 1911, Nicdao enrolled in the newly-opened Camp Henry T. Allen (the pre-cursor of the Philippine Military Academy). After undergoing an intensive 3-month boot camp training, he graduated as 3rd Lieutenant.  The 23 year-old embarked on his  new military career, and led campaigns in Lanao and Cotabato, during the Moro War years (1909-1923).  He would eventually become the District Commander for Muslim Mindanao. By 1917, he had attained the rank of a First Lieutenant of the PC, with missions in Cagayan and Misamis.  In the 1930s, he was instrumental in crushing a Sakdalista revolt in Laguna. The bemedalled colonel  passed away at age 50 of peritonitis, during a military exercise in Leyte, and was given full military honors during his burial.

Brig. Gen. RAMSEY L. OCAMPO

Brig. Gen. Ramsey Lapuz Ocampo is a native of Candaba, and a 1963 alumnus of Pampanga High School. As a police superintendent, he was the provincial police director of Pampanga from 1990-1992, and rose to become the Regional Director of police command VII.  Ramsey was responsible for the very good peace and order situation in Cebu City. The general also became Chief of the Central Intelligence Service (CIS) and NARCOM. He later pursued a law course and a doctorate degree and now the multi-facetted general has his own law firm and is the Vice President for Security Services of Clark.

Lt. Col. LEON F. PUNSALAN

The  West Pointer and M.I.T. graduate who saw action with the Philippine Army was born in San Simon, Pampanga on 3 July 1910. Leon Flores Punsalan is a 1928 Pampanga High School alumnus . In 1936, he graduated as a Mechanical Engineer at West Point in the top ten of his class, and he was assigned to serve  in the Philippine Army in 1938. In 1940 he was assigned in an Army base in Boston, Massachusetts and attended nigh class for his his Masters Degree in Mechanical Engineering from MIT. He invented a durable rifle cartridge ejector and obtained a patent for it. After serving for 31 years in the U.S. Army, he retired in Hampton, Virginia, where he taught mathematics and physics at local high school. He was the founder of the Pampanga Language Club of Virginia. Lt. Col. Punsalan was also a writer and a poet. Died 3 October 2001 at the age of 91.

Brig. Gen. MARCOS SOLIMAN

The general best remembered as the anonymous whistleblower who exposed the Marcos plan to place the country under Martial Law to oppositionist Benigno Aquino Jr., was born in Candaba (b. 25 April 1910), the son of the town police chief.  He was a classmate of Pres. Diosdado Macapagal at the Pampanga High School, Class 1929. He graduated in 1933 from the Philippine Constabulary Academy, and then served  the PC company in  Iloilo as a lieutenant for 2 years. Soliman was chosen to study in the Air Corps Flight School at Randolph Field, Texas. After his tour of duty, he was appointed commandant of  various ROTC units like the U.P. FEU and U.S.T. During the War, he refused to surrender to the Japanese, and became a guerilla untilhis captured in January 1944. Though released, he continued doing espionage work. In the post-war years, he served as Superintendent of the Philippine Military Academy and Commanding General of the Philippine Army. Upon leaving the military, he became chief of the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency. Shortly after Martial Law was declared in Sept. 1972, newspaper reported his death due to a heart attack, but his family believed that Marcos was responsible for his death.

Brig. Gen. BASILIO VALDES

Basilio Valdes (b. 10 Jul 1892) with roots in Floridablanca, was a doctor first, but also earned recognition as a military man, and a government executive. He finished medicine at the University of Santo Tomas and graduated with honors in 1916. Driven to serve beyond his country, he joined the French Army as a medical volunteer, then the U.S. Army as a surgeon from 1917-1919. He labored in Europe as part of the American Red Cross mission. Thus began his second career in military service. Returning home, he joined the Philippine Constabulary from 1926-1934 as medical inspector. Pres. Manuel L. Quezon appointed him as Chief of Staff of the Philippine Constabulary and Philippine Army in 1939, elevating his rank to a general (he would rise to become a Brigadier General). Two years later, Basilio was appointed as Secretary of National Defense. To expand his military education, he attended the Command and General Staff School in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, graduating there in 1943. During the Japanese period, he served under Pres. Jose P. Laurel as Secretary of Public Works. He died in 26 January 1970.

Brig, Gen. LUIS A. VILLA-REAL

The venerable general, Luis “Louie Villa-Real, was a graduate of Culver Military School who joined the Philippine Army and headed its 21^st field artillery. He fought in World War II and is acknowledged as one of the valiant Defenders of Bataan and Corregidor, having also walked in the Death March. He was to serve many presidents, including Pres. Cory Aquino who appointed him head of National Intelligence Coordinating Authority (NICA) after the fall of Marcos. Known as a Huk fighter in his time, he also headed the Philippine Anti-Communist League. He was never known to be political; in fact, he was critical of the military hierarchy in Pres. Aquino’s time, proof that he was a true servant of the Filipino people. The Villa-Reals trace their roots in Arayat.

Maj. PORFIRIO ZABLAN

The early years of Philippine aviation count only some 400 military men--all chosen between 1907 to 1935, with Pres. Quezon’s approval.  Among the first 10 Filipinos to undergo actual flight training were 10 Philippine Constabulary (PC) officers, led by topnotcher 1st Lt. Porfirio Zablan; and 23 recruits from the National Guard. Zablan, who rose to the rank of a Major,  became the first fighter pilot of the Philippines, but perished while training in the U.S. in 17 June 1935. In his memory, the Zablan Airfield in Quezon City was named after him.

(OTHER RANKING KAPAMPANGANS IN THE MILITARY: Col. (Ret.) Vicente A. Pascual (Arayat), Commodore Lodovigildo L. Gantioqui, Ph. Navy (Arayat), Col. Sergio Sanchez,  Col. Federico Calma, Col. Auelio Miranda, Col. Gregorio Yambao, Col. David Pelayo, Col. Pacifico Marin, Col. Diosdado Garcia,Col. Migule Pingul, L.t Col. Felix Duenas (Phil Coconut Authority director), Maj. Conrad Flores, Lt. Col. Patricio Buyson, Major Rufino Dizon, Capt. Crescencio Pineda)

SOURCES:

Oscar Albayalde: Most Outstanding Kapampangan Award 2016 souvenir program

https://en.everybodywiki.com/Oscar_David_Albayalde

Juan Arroyo:

http://ces.pnp.gov.ph/menu_history_scroll/v_scroll_history.php

Rene R. Cruz, Luis Villareal: The Pampangos, by Rafaelita Hilario Soriano, 1999, 218 pages

Basilio Valdes, Emigdio Cruz. Miguel Nicdao: www.viewsfromthepampang.blogspot

Marcos Soliman: PHS Golden Jubilee 50^th Yearbook, 1962

Romeo David, Virgilio M. David: History of Pampanga Towns, by Andro Camiling, http://www.andropampanga.com/history_phs.htm

Ramsey Ocampo: http://www.pampangapolice.com/pds_now.html

Leon Flores Punsalan: The Untold Battle of Leo Punsalan, https://scholar.lib.vt.edu/VA-news/VA-Pilot/issues/1995/vp950910/09070045.htm

Porfirio Zablan:PacificWrecks.org https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/philippines/paf-history-1.htm