| By Colonel Dencio S. Acop (Ret), PhD, CPP Much of what I am today and what I have done I owe to West Point. It is difficult to imagine what it would have been like to go through life — done the things I did and made the decisions I have – without the well-rounded education and training – the lofty academic and physical standards – without Duty-Honor-Country – that West Point imbibed into my being. I’ve always been attracted to the military. As a boy, I’d see the old veterans marching on Independence Day at my hometown in La Trinidad, Benguet Province with their war medals and military caps on ageing but unbowed heads. There was something about selflessly fighting for one’s country that I found honorable. I thought that having a military service record, assuming I made it, was the best way to begin a civilian career. But I’ve actually had a taste of “military life” and leadership to some extent even before I entered the Philippine Military Academy and later the United States Military Academy at West Point. I voluntarily underwent the “dumb-guard” training required to become a CAT (Citizen Army Training) officer in my high school (St. Louis Boys High School in Baguio). I even dedicated part of my summer vacation to undergo the COQC (Cadet Officer’s Qualification Course) which was the required training for officer-ship in the ROTC (Reserve Officers Training Corps). For completing said courses, I was selected CAT Corps Commander of my high school batch. While waiting to enter the PMA as I was still under-aged (16), I spent a year studying engineering at the St. Louis University and commanded the 103rd Company in the university’s ROTC program. After that year, I entered the PMA as a member of Matikas Class of 1983 on April 1st, 1979. Following completion of Beast Barracks and informed of my selection, I left the academy on June 22nd and arrived for my second Reception Day this time at the United States Military Academy on July 2nd as a member of Proud to Be Class of 1983. There is something about West Point that makes a grad relate to his alma mater more when already behind it than while still in it. Looking back now, alumni like myself realize what a great curriculum the West Point experience really is! It all made sense that cadet candidates were screened according to three fundamental areas: academic excellence, sports performance, and leadership potential. Exceptional scores in these areas were highly indicative of the capacity to successfully undergo the holistic program that would transform a candidate from not only civilian to military life but developed into a leader of character. The three areas were effectively intertwined through a cadet’s four-year stay at the academy. A typical day will quickly reveal this deliberately regimented life of a cadet: Unit accountability formations and march-offs to mess, academic classes, afternoon sports after last class, regimental parade-in-review, and study hours until Tatoo before Taps. Then there is the Cadet Honor Code which demands that “a cadet does not lie, cheat, steal, or tolerate those who do”. Punishment for violation of the cadet honor code was dismissal from the Corps of Cadets. Summers were devoted to focused military development training for each year at the academy: Cadet Basic Training (1st year), Cadet Field Training (2nd year), Cadet Troop Leading Training (3rd year), and Cadet Cadre Training breaking in the new cadets (4th year). Except for CTLT, all military training programs were conducted at the West Point military reservation. CFT introduced us cadets to the different branches of the US Army. During armor week, we were flown in C-130s to Fort Knox, Kentucky. While there, I was surprised to receive a dinner invitation from the camp commander. Colonel John Marko was the military attache who interviewed me at the embassy in Manila. He intimated to me the reasons why I was selected for the USMA. Back at the academy, I specialized in Foreign Languages and was chosen as one of four cadets sent as exchange cadets to the Portuguese Military Academy in Lisbon a year later in the summer of ’81. Because of this, the academy found me a US Army unit in Europe to do my CTLT in: the 23rd Combat Engineer Battalion, 3rd Armor Division based in Hanau, West Germany. I reported to this unit after my exchange stint in Portugal. CTLT was a program designed to have a cadet experience leadership in the real army. Thus, I was made platoon leader for a month while the regular platoon leader went on break. The Iron Curtain was still up when I did my time there so it was quite an experience! My pride in my alma mater only managed to grow soon as I started serving in the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Following my graduation from the academy on May 25th, 1983, I soon had to go back home to the Philippines for my return service of at least 8 years. I ended up staying 26 years! When I received my general orders, I saw this marginal note inscribed on it: “To train with PC SAF Ranger Course then assign 61st PC Bn”. It was a handwritten marginal instruction from the Philippine Constabulary Chief, Lieutenant General Fidel Ramos USMA ’50. Ramos, who later became my boss, habitually wrote marginal notes in red ink on anything he read, especially the daily newspapers! I had first met him at the senior officer’s quarters of Colonel and Mrs. Endy when he attended his West Point class’s 30th reunion in the Spring of 1980. I was still a plebe about to become a yearling and he asked me this question: “How are you related to Romeo and Reynaldo Acop?” The two were PC officers under his overall command — 1970 and 1971 graduates of the Philippine Military Academy. “They are my first cousins, sir!” – quickly came my snappy reply to the general. However, after completing Ranger School with the SAF in late 1983, the Philippine Constabulary Brigade got dissolved. I then found myself recruited instead by the Special Action Force which was being newly organized as the elite unit of the Constabulary. I therefore became one of the pioneers of this elite battalion formed to be the national maneuver unit of the PC against the New People’s Army. It did not take long for me to realize what a great responsibility came along with being a West Point graduate. Duty-Honor-Country was no longer just a motto but a way of life to be lived daily. In leading men through harm’s way, there was no way for an officer’s character to not become transparent at least to the men he leads and the civilians impacted by his unit’s actions or inactions. It is never easy for a West Point graduate. From day one, I felt the inherent duty to live up to very high ideals and standards. I always felt that if I did not, then I was failing my mission and letting down my superiors, my subordinates, and myself. If I had been innocent and naïve as a 2nd lieutenant reporting for duty in mid-1983 fresh from the academy, I quickly outgrew my innocence in the months and years that followed. The communist insurgency we fought and still continue to fight to some extent now in the Philippines is unlike anything that military doctrine, contemporary or traditional, has ready answers for. In fact, the problem is not even primarily military but more political, economic, and socio-cultural in nature. Essentially, the problem’s resolution (end-state), including its methodology (ways) and needed resources (means) must be holistic. Profoundly understanding the problem leads one to conclude that the insurgency is merely a symptom rather than the disease. Still, the soldier finds himself at the center of the conflict when it erupts and is therefore forced to respond with all the resources at his disposal, however limited. In short, the soldier when in the zone is not merely a soldier but a citizen, a governance agent, a bureaucrat, and even a spiritual surrogate. Nevertheless, a soldier’s power in the field can be robust especially if competently led and effectively guided by the right values. A progressive career in the Armed Forces of the Philippines demanded a balanced exposure to line, staff, and instructor duty leadership assignments. Completing mandatory career courses was required to move up the ladder. Thus, I took my Officer Basic Course at the PC Intelligence School in 1985. Then, my branch of service, the Philippine Constabulary, got dissolved in 1987 as part of the amendments when the new Philippine Constitution was passed. I therefore decided to move to the Philippine Army. In 1995, I took my Infantry Officer’s Advanced Course with the Army’s Infantry School. Then in 2005, I attended the AFP Command and General Staff College as required. Specializing in the infantry and intelligence branches, I commanded thirteen (13) line units through my career in the AFP mostly with the Philippine Constabulary Special Action Force, Department of Defense, Presidential Security Group, Intelligence Service, and Army Command and Staff School. I also did staff duties usually in operations and intelligence as well as being executive officer. Further, I was assistant then commandant of the Special Intelligence Training School. During my stint, I spearheaded efforts proposing Intelligence be made a primary occupational specialty area of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. This proposal was approved around the time I left active-duty service. The country study I did when I took up the strategic intelligence course in 2000 was on Ukraine. In my study, I pointed out that Ukraine’s surrounding terrain features would be strategic in case of invasion never knowing that it would be invaded by Russia 22 years later. The units I commanded and oversaw fought against the Communist Party of the Philippines – New People’s Army in Luzon and the Visayas. I was head of the SAF’s anti-terrorist assault team and also a protective detail team leader when our unit, the SAF, fought on the side of the people during the February 1986 People Power Revolution that toppled the dictatorship. Then, to protect the fledgling democracy under President Corazon Aquino, we in the SAF fought against our former comrades-in-arms in the revolution who staged coups against the government in August 1987 and December 1989. In the latter fight against coup elements out to destroy the AFP Battle Staff inside Camp Aguinaldo, President Aquino awarded me the Distinguished Conduct Star – the military’s second highest combat decoration. Already with Defense Secretary Fidel Ramos, I helped protect him during his presidential campaign eventually continuing to do so through the PSG after he won the presidency. From fighting the insurgency and rebellions and reestablishing democracy, I experienced how it was like to be in the corridors of power helping a national leader build up once again a troubled nation. I now realize that my years with the Ramos PSG was also a time when we too felt part of the burden of what the president tried to achieve for the Philippines during his short stint of six years — economic progress and social equity following years of political instability. While with the PSG, I had a chance along with other key commanders to visit with the British Army’s Special Air Service Regiment at Herefordshire in 1994. I was the president’s first and last security officer on duty during his presidency. While I was honored with the president’s awarding me the Presidential Medal of Merit (for “devotion to duty and commitment to professional competence and moral excellency”) when his term ended in 1998, the years that followed his leadership proved to be the beginning of the end for good governance once again in my long-suffering country. For the national characters that followed after him were anything but moral leaders. Understanding the insurgency problem is an entire course in public administration. A working student while assigned with the PSG, I immensely enjoyed my graduate study in public administration at the University of the Philippines between 1992 and 1996. The theories I learned in school connected perfectly with the government work I was doing then, especially with the nation-building initiatives spearheaded by the president that I witnessed first-hand. Understanding the public problems beyond just surface level is essential to anyone involved in the business of governance and public service especially soldiers and policemen who comprise the sole coercive power of the state although they by themselves are not the lone answer to this multidimensional problem. Insurgencies and rebellions will persist anywhere there is gross disparity between the “haves” and “have-nots” in society. And in many developing states, this gap is wide and ever widening. In today’s context of yet another impending global recession, this gap is even more threatening. The national aim therefore of a developing government is to close this gap the soonest it can with all the power it’s got. The goal is to promote the common good and attain social equity by shifting the financial burden to the rich away from the poor. For justice and peace to occur, the objective of good governance is to always bring about an egalitarian society where the national wealth is spread justifiably rendering insurgencies and rebellions unnecessary, moot, and academic. This end-state may seem like a utopian dream but it is not. It is attainable. Of all people in society, public servants share this dream since they are the perennial optimists. The situation in the Philippines is actually similar with other developing countries struggling toward socio-politico-economic stability. Much of the resolution to this common problem is simply the just restructuring of society to adopting a practical system that promotes the common good away from the predatory practices of a powerful few. Although small in number relative to the general population, the societal elite controls much of the economy of the state thereby also dominating local politics. Thus, political dynasties are commonplace and well-entrenched. To some extent, colonial history accounts for this whose existence has now reached the 21st century. And the masses? Like it or not, Philippine society has produced an informal and seemingly benign “caste system” composed of the majority of the population in the lower economic classes who are a force to reckon with in terms of their number but who are empowered and united only in so far as their patrons allow. For me, it boggles the mind to witness our collective actions toward assertions of democratic space that tend to portray an egalitarian society, which clearly, we are not. The ordinary people are blessed with quantity but not quality of the kind for instance which allows them to discern who really are the good leaders that can lead them to the promised land. What are some of the things that unregulated Capitalism does? A non-level playing field allows big businesses to continually grow even bigger at the expense of small entrepreneurs who may not even get a chance to commercially compete at all. The concentration of too much resources and wealth in too few hands does not spread the sunshine around thereby working to the detriment of many aspiring workers and livelihood earners. The economically disadvantaged cannot go on much longer the way they are especially with mouths to feed and may eventually join the ranks of criminals and insurgents just to survive. We have seen this happen often mplementation leaving those extremely marginalized open to rebellion and treason with the enemy. For example, today, many among the poor masses are easily exploited and manipulated by China’s fake narratives not to mention that they have already been so long duped by their own local political leaders whose promises of a better life only last the stretch of a political campaign period. In a perfect administrative system, the effective use of taxation is government’s means to help the poor by taking from the surplus of the rich. It is the ideal way to level the playing field in a democratic system. Corruption must be effectively addressed for a nation to truly progress and attain a decent quality of life for the majority of its citizens. But good governance is only achievable by having good public leaders. Now, what do we do therefore with a problem like China? It seems so easy to get distracted given all the noise in the world today. Yet, there is technically no clearer declaration of war against the Philippines by China than its daily incursions into our exclusive economic zone ignoring the 2016 arbitral ruling in our favor. China’s gray zone / below level of war tactics geared toward claiming the entire South China Sea are making a mockery of international law. This strategy, which impedes passage through international sea lanes, is dangerous and could lead to far-reaching war with western powers led by the United States. Moreover, China continues to undermine Philippine sovereignty by spying through all means possible including setting up artificial intelligence data centers spreading misleading and false information all in favor of China’s interest at the expense of Filipino national security. In a worst-case scenario, China’s data centers powered by artificial intelligence operating within the Philippines will play an increasingly crucial role in the control and operation of military drones. We see only the seemingly benign surface of things unaware of the real and strategic threats lurking below these surfaces. We face a formidable enemy that uses the Art of War. But I’d say our most dangerous enemy has been ourself. While we now face the enemy hardware and software that confront us, the local insurgency we faced and foreign invasion we now struggle with have long been lost by two bad leaders we’ve had: Ferdinand Marcos Sr. and Rodrigo Duterte. The communist insurgency we fought for decades was bred by the dictatorship of Marcos Sr. And the entry of the Chinese Communist Party into Philippine sovereignty was made possible by Duterte. Both enemies are ideological threats. Despite their ideological opposition to our moral values and way of life, these enemies were still enabled by bad leaders turned traitors to their own people. The kind of leadership that takes hold matters. And that brand of leadership that impacts the lives of hundreds of millions of citizens matters a lot. It is precisely the role of government to intervene as policy-maker and implementor to advance the public interest. But this must not be abused by the vested interests of the few powerful at the expense of common interests. If such is the case, then where is the legitimate push-back from morally upright citizens and institutions? Are citizens once again paralyzed by fear from their own government? Have we all lost control? Is it the technology and what it can do that is exacerbating the anxiety already felt by citizens? Is it China? Is it the sense of helplessness relative to an uncertain future? It is only natural that the citizenry should expect much from their duly-constituted government. But government’s credibility also has a tipping point beyond which policy action loses all effectiveness. When this occurs, government finds itself becoming more repressive just to implement policy. But in doing so, it only manages to alienate itself from the governed. In his speech, a past secretary of defense once challenged graduating cadets of the Philippine Military Academy to practice the cadet honor code even beyond the academy walls. A 1956 alumnus, Major General Ramon Farolan (Ret) lamented the unmistakable gap between that graduation speech and political realities. In essence, Farolan’s rebuttal article pointed out the irony that if the new officers “do not lie, cheat, steal, or tolerate those who do”, they could end up being sanctioned by their own government like those detained for speaking the truth. How have we descended so low? Values are indispensable to a leader. No matter the times or the prevailing world order, values will define what truly matters in the end. Whether leading men in combat, educating little boys and girls, leading a nation, parenting sons and daughters, shepherding the flock, or leading corporations, leaders of character will prevail in ways that other types of leaders cannot. Through my life’s journey, I’ve always looked up to good leaders and will ever be grateful that fate brought me to West Point – an institution for developing leaders of character. I will alwaysenough. While there is nothing wrong with wealth creation, there is always something wrong when the rich are able to enrich themselves at the expense of everyone else especially the poor and marginalized. What about political dynasties? There are some local dynasties that effectively deliver public services to their constituents. But the concern that is worrisome with political dynasties is the tendency to concentrate political power in just a few who may not truly represent the majority of the population (who are unlike them). Whether in congress or the executive branch, public policy formulation and implementation are profoundly affected by the values of those in power. Negative bureaucratic behavior like graft and corruption, which has grown so malignant, also has a tendency to be exacerbated in a climate of competing public and private interests where personal stakes are robust. Unless ethical values override the great temptations from moral and material corruption, these negative behaviors will continue to persist especially in politics. In a developing environment characterized by scarce resources spread out over numerous competing public needs, this is significant because, in essence, the common good may not be truly served in these situations. There is also the critical issue of taxes. The issue is critical because without taxes, there would be no government. And without government, there would be no policy-maker and implementor working for the interests of the citizenry especially the poor and marginalized sectors. Taxes comprise the working capital for the various public sectors. The more taxes are paid by taxpayers, the more resources there are to be spent for public health, education, social welfare, infrastructure, labor, agriculture, justice, defense, foreign affairs, local governance, science and technology, energy, etc. But having said that, taxes also need to be just. The problem with our taxation is the existence of certain realities which have practically rendered taxes operating at only around 50% effectiveness. What accounts for this are our automatic appropriations for external debt payments (roughly 40% of the national budget), below target tax collection efficiency (especially income taxes), and negative bureaucratic behaviors (graft and corruption). But while income earners give up as much as 33% or one-third of their earnings to government, what good is it if it only ends up lining the pockets of crooked authorities and public leaders? I have long argued in my articles that corruption is perhaps the Philippines’ number one threat to its national security and interest. In published articles by the Heritage Foundation, the Philippines scores below the world average due to “pervasive corruption, a weak judicial system, restricted foreign investment, and a limited regulatory environment”. More than the limited public resources that are misused, graft and corruption undermine public policy formulation and i be a proud son of West Point. Through the march of history, the hallmark of exceptional leadership has always been moral integrity. There are other leadership virtues but leaders of character do not only accomplish the mission, take care of their subordinates, and effectively manage resources – they commit themselves to the greatest good for the greatest human values unmindful of the odds. Of all the state leaders we protected when I served with the PSG, the one I am most proud to have served is Pope John Paul II who came to the Philippines for World Youth Day in January 1995. I will forever be grateful to my parents for having me and my siblings baptized into the Roman Catholic Church soon after we were born. Catholicism is the fullness of the Christian faith and I naturally passed on that faith to my own family. I don’t know but I just feel that the new Pope is a God-send. I don’t say it because my new granddaughter is the first baby he personally blessed in his first general audience. But having recently witnessed the election of Pope Leo XIV to the papacy on May 8, 2025, I have to say that it is such kind of elections as the conclave that brings about the best leader because it adopts a process that selects the most virtuous among candidates as the winner, chosen by a select group of electors who are the most qualified to do so based on intellectual and moral competence. Compare it with even the untampered process of secular democratic elections, as the one just witnessed in the United States in 2024. In essence, the leader that arises from the latter kind is not necessarily the most virtuous but one who reflects the now even more diverse values of voters of all kinds. Thus, Pope Leo XIV and President Donald Trump, while both Americans, today represent the contrasts in how leaders come about either through the constancy of moral order tradition or through navigating present-day realities that blur the divide between what is moral and amoral. To put it more bluntly, while one is a leader of character, the other is a man of the world. One is a son of St. Augustine whose words of conversion were: “You have made us for Yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in You”. While the other vowed he will “Make America Great Again”. How things eventually turn out from the toils of both types of leaders will surely determine their effectiveness and whether the world benefits from them or not. Certainly, there are leaders of character among us and we may not always know them. Right now, I especially think of one. It was him who did not let worldliness blind him. Who shined in whatever he did but never spoke of it. Who touched the lives of many but never burdened anyone. Who now struggles silently with advanced Alzheimer’s disease. We once rode the train together chatting over beer from San Francisco to Atherton. Very principled, he has lots of wisdom and likes to tell war stories. He had served in Vietnam but also holds a doctorate in electrical engineering from Purdue. He was a Starman at the academy (top 5%) and served in the signal corps and military intelligence branches. His paper at the Army War College in Leavenworth was on the USMA Allied Cadet Program with the Philippines. He and Mrs. Endy moved to California after he retired from the Army in 1982. He became CEO of several tech companies generously giving back to his alma mater by the Hudson. He was a shoo-in for star rank. But when I asked him why he decided not to get his well-deserved promotion, he simply replied that it was time he gave back to Mrs. Endy the support and sacrifices she did for him while he wore the uniform serving his country. He said that it was only a title. I wouldn’t say they didn’t have any children because “we” the younger grads they took care of, were their children. We spoke in Kuala Lumpur in 1995 while I was on a PSG mission and he was on one of his countless CEO trips to Asia. I miss our conversations. He is gentle and kind, but feisty when it came to defending his family and friends and in witnessing wrong. They stayed in touch with us while I served my country even sending box-full of goodies (balikbayan boxes) all the way to Manila! Mrs. Endy is a godmother to me and my late first wife Joji whom I met at West Point in 1981. She came to our 1985 wedding in Manila. Joji passed on from illness in 2018. I remarried to Joy in 2023 in Boston. Colonel Sam Endy believed in people. He once wrote to me: “(Your keynote address) brought a lot of memories. One is that the wise investment in apostles such as you will keep the world on a better path, even though it may stray from time to time. Values count…and always will. Well intended people embracing those values and inspiring others will win out in the end. It is the light that the Dennis Acop’s of the world keep shining on the rest of us that gives meaning to our work here on earth.” — His inspiring words touched me and I shall always cherish them the rest of my days. I have never forgotten him because of those words. His way with words and manner of speaking also capture exactly who he is as an individual – his profound depth and breadth of wisdom. I will always remember him as like a father. Indeed, he and leaders like him remind us that the path of leadership is a lonely path. And that less travelled road of principled leadership is the loneliest path. Very few ever take it. There is a growing weariness in our internal and external environments today. There appears to be too much form but not enough substance. There is robust adherence to the letter of the law but not sufficient discernment to the spirit of that law. The moral order in the world is now in decline. Those of us who were schooled in the strictest instructions on leadership have a difficult time understanding how value-free leadership can be the order of the day. The physical inconveniences of command are nothing to endure compared to the prostitution of values that has infected the military establishment especially in the upper echelons. Conditions dismissive of honor have led to a “culture of mediocrity” where professional soldiers who value honor above all cannot thrive. The principle of leadership by example alone presupposes a moral model committed to replication by equally moral followers. But cunning has predominated transparency. Gray over black and white. Clearly, a decent society cannot continue to operate in this manner. To do so would only lead to decay in the end. Right is right no matter what, and wrong can never be made to appear right. To me, this is still the only universal truth that can set us free. I loved the profession of arms and agonized over my decision to leave. Eventually, my leaving became a moral choice. I remembered those words of Colonel Endy which struck me because I realized years later that they too became mine. I left military service in 2006 after almost thirty years in uniform, determined to make it in the private sector and provide better for my family. I also welcomed the opportunity to write and say what I couldn’t as an active-duty member of the AFP. A former bearer of the sword, I now believe more in the power of the spirit. More than before, I have also come to realize that there is no substitute for peace. When age catches up to us, we’d like to share whatever valuable insights we’ve learned through our life experiences. I’ve had a very colorful journey. The things I’ve seen and done in the military and public service especially, are priceless gifts that cannot be had anywhere else. But I am also grateful that I’ve had a second career with the private sector side of things. Within all twelve years after I retired, I worked for Pacific Strategies and Assessments, and the Wyeth organization which became part of Pfizer in 2010 and Nestle in 2013. I was part of a team that helped grow and professionalize the security industry in the Philippines through continuing education and training sponsored by ASIS-International. For this, I was given the Professional Certification Board Award for Volunteer Leadership by ASIS in 2013 along with others. I also taught in colleges and universities. I continue to be an educator until this day. I feel rather fortunate to have experienced both public and corporate lives as one is extremely divergent from the other, but equally enlightening. Life is short and must therefore be lived well. It has its ups and downs. I once read an article which talked about how God intervenes in our lives to bring about his desired character in us. That life is not so much about what we do, but how we are – how we hold up when subjected to life’s extreme challenges. It is a good thing we went through a lot of “builds character” exercises as cadets at West Point. For today we live in a time that constantly tests that character. Oftentimes, it is no longer enough to simply acquiesce to the dictates of the majority, to merely go with the flow, to play it safe, or just be indifferent – at least even in our own personal lives. Something inside tells us that to do so would be inconsistent with our values; that to do so is settling for a life not fully and meaningfully lived. The Jesuit priest Fr. James Reuter once wrote that “man is noblest not when riding on horseback, but when kneeling before his God”. May God continue to bless us all. |
LIFE MATTERS: Character Leadership Matters
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