SAN RAFAEL, Bulacan — Two retired police officers will enter the political arena here with a promise to make radical changes in this town that was identified by the Philippine National Police (PNP) as an election “hotspot”.
Retired General Francisco Villaroman, together with his running mate retired Senior Supt. Ramir Viola, filed their certificates of candidacy (COC) for mayor and vice mayor, respectively, on Monday.
Villaroman will face Board Member Chiolo Violago, who is expected to file his COC on Wednesday. Violago is the son of incumbent Mayor Goto Violago.
Villaroman served President Rodrigo Duterte when the latter was still mayor of Davao City as consultant in counter terrorism and also as head of the Public Safety and Security Command Center.
“Radical change starts now. I will do here in San Rafael what I did in Davao. Ibabalik ko ang katahimikan ng bayang ito at iba pang pagbabago (I will bring back the peace and order in this town and other reforms),” he said.
San Rafael town tops the Philippine National Police’s list of hotspot areas in Bulacan, particularly in the third district following the killing of a barangay chairman and other village officials last April.
The team of Villaroman was accompanied by his supporters headed by Ricardo Silverio Jr., who is running for the congressional post in the third district of Bulacan.
Villaroman and his complete line-up will run under the Puwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) Party.
San Rafael election officer Aida Esmundo said since Thursday, only Villaroman and Viola have so far filed their COC for the mayoral and vice mayoralty posts.
Villaroman was known as a strict, honest and brave intelligence chief during his time at the Bulacan Police Provincial Office in the early ’90s.
He was one of the police operatives, along with then Bulacan Criminal Investigation and Detection Group head, Chief Inspector Cesar Mancao, who chased and killed Joey de Leon, the leader of the dreaded “Red Scorpion Group”. (/PNA)
