All star cast in the Senate
I was quite disappointed when two of my favorite senatorial candidates, former Philippine National Police General Guillermo Lorenzo Tolentino Eleazar and former Tarlac Congressman and Defense Secretary Gibo Teodoro didn’t make the cut. It is not their lost, it is the country, a friend quipped.The two were totally eclipsed by actor Robin Padilla, ‘ang anak ni Baby Ama’. ( Movie goers know what I mean. He is an exconvict). So how many action stars in the upper house now. Too bad Monsour Del Rosario and Herbert Bistek Bautista didn’t make it too, otherwise it is an ‘all star cast’in the senate with Bong Revilla , Lito Lapid and Jinggoy Estrada already in.
Just in case Vic Del Rosario or Mother Lily Monteverde will produce a telenovela featuring some senators and the drama revolves about the life and love Risa Hontiveros who was also a stage actress in her youth. Maybe the love and life of Loren Legarda can also be a good material. Or maybe a political drama and the story will revolve around family conflict, corruption and unsolved crimes. If I were the screen writer cum director I will pick on Cynthia Villar as the matriarch living in mansion with Mark Villar and Nancy Binay as household help JV Ejercito as gardener and Koko Pimentel as family driver. Loren Legarda as the niece who is a balikbayan and is being courted by Migz Zubiri with Sonny Angara as rival. Both Revilla and Jinggoy are police officers and were in hot pursuit against Lapid who is pinuno of the syndicate. Well anyway hahaba ang kwento ko baka saan pa pupunta, at wala nakong space. Ituloy na lang natin ang telenovela sa darating na panahon). This is just a figment of my wild imagination.
Back to my friend General Eleazar. He was a media darling and hailed by many as one of the best officers to lead the Philipine National Police. Very true. Early on He was so popular that the netizens are urging him to run for senator. No one before him became so popular in a brief time. That can be considered as the highest point of his career. The spotlight was on him daily. Eleazar is from Tagkawayan, Quezon and comes from buena familia. He became friends to many Capampangans when he was assigned in Camp Olivas as head of the regional Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG). I recruited him as a member of my fellowship clubs, The Monday Club and Wednesday Club where I am regarded as the ‘chairman emeritus’.
Let me retell you this story. Before the passage of the law creating the PNP, the members of police corps were appointed by the town/ city mayor. It was also the mayor who assigned ranks, promotions or demotions. There was no need for a college or even high school diploma. Cops weren’t required to undergo civil service examination. Most mayors during those years only ask if the applicant already fired a gun and know how to shoot. ‘Matapang ka?’The standard question of most mayors. Until a certain general came up a study of integrating all police forces and included the Philippine Constabulary. Later the Philippine Constabulary was dissolved and it ended finally as PNP. This particular uniform service was given a fresh start.
I was a very young reporter when I was correspondent for a national daily and part my beat was Camp Olivas. The camp was then the main headquarter of the Philippine Constabulary. It was the First PC Zone. It was headed by a brigadier general. I remember some names, the likes of Rafael Ileto, Emilio Zerrudo, Tomas P. Diaz, Romeo Gatan and many illustrious names who made the organization respected. The constabulary was the main police organization in the country. Even the local police were highly respected then. Kotong cops came later.