by Samuel Santos
Philippine National Police Chief Superintendent Miguel C. Antonio Jr., an adopted member of the Ateneo de Zamboanga High School Class 1977, is the new police director for Western Mindanao (RDO-9).
Antonio, or Jun as he is more fondly called, is a true-blue Zamboangueno. This is significant since it has been quite a while since a Zamboangueno has been named Police Regional Office-9 chief. He speaks fluent Chavacano and is a Western Mindanao native by heart.
Antonio hails from Lamitan in Basilan Province. He finished his grade school studies in Ateneo de Zamboanga and moved on to finish his high school in Luzon before he joined and graduated at the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) in 1983.
The ADZ High School class of 1977 adopted him during their Silver Jubilee celebration in 2002 which he attended at the Ateneo campus that year.
Antonio replaced Chief Supt. Edgar O. Basbas who has been re-assigned to Camp Crame.
Prior to this assignment, Antonio was Chief of Directorial Staff of the Police Security and Protection Group (PSPG) before he became the PNP Deputy Director for Operations. His immediate superior then was Police Director Ricardo Marquez who was recently appointed by President Benigno Aquino III as the new PNP chief.
Members of High School class 1977 have high regards for Antonio saying “we know him to be a true officer and a gentleman with a track record of competence, honesty and integrity and possess the courage and humility to pursue reforms in Philippine society, especially within the ranks of the police force.
