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Power play drives PMA ‘adoption’ of politicians, says ex-academy chief

By Vincent Cabreza, Desiree Caluza
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 21:45:00 02/19/2010

Filed Under: Military, Politics, Elections, Eleksyon 2010

FORT DEL PILAR, Baguio City, Philippines -- The Philippine Military Academy has exerted efforts to keep politics out of its annual alumni homecoming, which ended Friday, with a parade of PMA class colors.

But what's more political than a class parade that includes aspiring presidents and senators?

Almost every alumni class has adopted its own celebrity politician since Martial Law, a practice that has been debated, attacked and defended by leaders of the PMA Alumni Association Inc (PMAAA), said former academy superintendent, Brig. Gen. Leopoldo Maligalig.

"This is largely unspoken but [adopting alumni who are politically influential] is really about power," said Maligalig, who was president of PMA "Magilas" Class of 1976.

He said the practice began during Martial Law when some military officers realized they needed the political backing to steer their careers in government service.

After the 1986 Edsa Revolution, some classes began inviting movie stars, too, he said.

The first adopted PMA alumni members were PMA cadets who graduated from the US Military Academy in West Point, New York.

"They were truly mistahs (classmates) and were gladly welcomed back into the fold," Maligalig said.

He said he decided to stay away from this year's homecoming because he did not want to witness a "political circus."

PMA officials on Friday admitted they remained in the dark as to which presidential candidate would join the homecoming parade at the Borromeo Field here.

Administration standard-bearer, Gilbert Teodoro Jr., is an adopted member of PMA "Magilas" Class of 1976 while Nacionalista Party standard bearer, Sen. Manuel Villar Jr., was adopted by PMA "Masikap" Class of 1977.

Liberal Party standard bearer, Benigno Aquino III, is not expected to join Saturday morning's parade with members of PMA "Mapitagan" Class of 1980.

A class member said they invited Aquino to join them but the senator had declined.

Instead, the class adopted Aquino's sisters, Ma. Elena "Ballsy" Cruz and Aurora Corazon "Pinky" Abellada, who has agreed to join the parade.

Two other Aquino's sisters, celebrity host Kristina Bernadette "Kris" Aquino-Yap and Victoria Eliza "Viel" Dee, would be adopted this month, Abellada said.

Abellada arrived here on Friday to campaign for her brother.

When asked if her being an adopted member of a PMA class meant more votes for Aquino, Abellada said: "I wish they would pero bawal (but it is prohibited to campaign at PMA). Maybe those who are outside the service could [offer their public support]."

She said "Mapitagan" Class approached the family because of its close ties to the late President Corazon Aquino. The class members volunteered as pall bearers during Aquino's burial in 2009.

Abellada said their family's relationship with the military was different during the Marcos administration, which imprisoned their father, the late Sen. Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr. for seven years.

But members of "Mapitagan" class who were in the service remained loyal to the Aquino presidency, even during the years it fended off coup plots, she said.

"When my mother stepped down from the presidency in 1992, some members of Class 1980 remained close to us," she said.

President Macapagal-Arroyo was adopted by PMA "Makatarungan" Class of 1978 while her husband, Jose Miguel Arroyo, was adopted by PMA "Marangal" Class of 1974.

NP vice presidential candidate, Sen. Loren Legarda, was adopted by PMA Class of 1969 while LP vice presidential candidate, Sen. Manuel Roxas II, was adopted by PMA "Maharlika" Class of 1984.

Maligalig said many PMA alumni classes have developed deep connections to their adopted members, but in some cases, the adoption reflected how much career officers could benefit from the new alliances.

He said there was much discussion when PMA Class of 1951, one of the oldest alumni classes, adopted businessman Eduardo Cojuangco Jr., who was associated with the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos.

"There is a difference between adopted members of a PMA class and adopted members of the PMAAA. The alumni body is very strict. They interview everyone who is sponsored by the classes, so Mark Jimenez who was adopted by [PMA Class of 1990] is not an adopted member of the alumni association," Maligalig said.

During the term of President Fidel Ramos, the alumni classes tried to temper the practice by absorbing business giants instead of prominent government officials.

"Ramos was [a] West Point [graduate] and was adopted, so the alumni members felt that the tradition should be more [circumspect] during his term," Maligalig said.