Mayors' 'general' problems
Posted on February 5, 2008 - Filed Under General |
CIVILIAN local executives had better watch out in the next few years because their political careers are under serious threat.
This, especially if they have among their constituents an illustrious, top-ranking, high-profile police officer who strongly feels there’s life after retirement. You see, chances are these uniformed men, not their current vice mayor or councilor or previous opponents, will be their next (bitter) election rivals.
Lingayen mayor Jonas Castaneda, as reports now go, is in one such fix.
The looming ‘threat ‘ of a Police general Leopoldo Bataoil mayoralty ambition, so political pundits say, is growing larger by the day considering the Pol Profile’s approaching retirement from the service.
Many Lingayen pals I’ve talked to say, like the military personality that he is, Bataoil is pre-positioning now and marshaling his men and allies – although he’s quick to parry insinuations about his political intentions for now. The almost regular meetings his band of supporters is having at the general’s wide farm resort in barangay Malimpuec these days belie any denial he makes though, my bagoong informants claim.
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The general who’s getting all the media mileage he needs, courtesy of his loyal and fully greased stable of reporters mostly from the distaff side, is egged no end by the fact that his son, Mon Bataoil, is an incumbent town councilor and has a clique within Jonas’ and Vice Mayor Bartolome’s turf to keep the mayor on his toes all the way to 2010.
From what I hear, there are five members of the group to include our old pal, alderman Joe Ferrer, a bagoong magnate who recently delivered a scathing privilege speech at the town council session denouncing political intrigues coming his way. They it is who are now trying to spoil Jonas’ once flawless facial and disturbing his uh, equanimity.
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If and when he does throw his hat into the political ring, Bataoil will of course just be following the footsteps of his comrades-in-arms, former police generals Generals Rey Velasco and Amado T. Espino and several others in the national scene who just can’t have enough of public service, it seems, they’d traded their uniform for paisano attire in order to continue to serve la patria.
Let’s hope that, in case Bataoil makes it as mayor, the Lingayen-born police general won’t also insist on building an airport in the capital town, the gargantuan resources needed for such notwithstanding or move to pass an edict banning guns in civilian hands.
Still, having seen how the incumbent Governor Spines operated his election campaign and won in the last elections– resources, maneuvers, propaganda and all — the veteran political animal Jonas would be dumb if he does not yet know how to fight a starred, bemedalled police officer when things ever get to that point.
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