When Ramon Magsaysay became Secretary of National Defense under Pres. Quirino, he found out that members of the armed forces, especially those in the P.C., needed training for more efficient public service.
He ordered the retraining of all P.C. officers and noncommissioned officers in Camp Crame. Officers and enlisted men from all over the Philippines were pulled out for training in the P.C. School.
One of these officers was Capt. Ramon Mendoza, a very accomplished painter and number one bowler. He painted a full-size picture of Gen. Selga and any picture for officers of the P.C. School. Until now I have that oil painting hanging in my office at home. He is now a retired Colonel and President of the Philippine Veterans Association in California. We continue to write each other. He is an Ilocano from Ilocos Sur.
Another officer under me was Capt. Juan Dujan, who later on became a Representative of Kalinga. When Tony needed a Congressman to nominate him to take the PMA exam, I approached Johnny Dujan and he readily endorsed Tony’s application for the PMA exam representing Kalinga province.
I selected Kalinga because very few, if any, from that province go behind high school grades, unlike other cities or provinces. Tony was the only successful candidate of Kalinga who passed. He had no alternate. Had he not represented Kalinga and he had an alternate (one who passed lower than him), he could not have been admitted to the PMA, because he was ¼ inch too short! Praise the Lord!
An officer from Lanao who was a Datu became a very close friend of mine. He gave Pat several precious pearls and jewelry. He was Capt. Anumpac.
Capt. Agapito Raegas was one of my student officers. After I retired he took me as his Assistant Manager and Legal Officer and Training Officer for his Security Agency in Manila. Hence, we relocated to Manila from Baguio.
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