RETIRED high-ranking police and military officers are leaping into a second career in politics.

The local election in the province has four former generals and one vice admiral in the running for either mayor or congressional representative.

One of them is former Armed Forces of the Philippines chief Hermogenes Esperon Jr., the incumbent head of the Presidential Management Staff.

Esperon, from Asingan, the hometown of former President Fidel Ramos, is eyeing the 6th District congressional seat under the administration party Lakas-Kampi-CMD and the local party Biskeg na Pangasinan.

In the 2nd District, retired police director Leopoldo Bataoil from Lingayen is in the running, also under the Lakas-Kampi-CMD-Biskeg banner.

Retired police director Silverio Alarcio Jr., Bataoil’s classmate in the Philippine Military Academy Magilas Class ’76, is running for mayor in his hometown Laoac.

Two other candidates for mayor in other tows are retired police director Ismael Rafanan in Villasis and retired Vice Admiral Virgilio Marcelo in San Manuel.

Alarcio, Rafanan, and Marcelo are all Lakas-Kampi-CMD candidates.

Three former police officials led by Gov. Amado Espino Jr, a former police regional director in Ilocos, won in the 2007 elections. The two others are Bani Mayor Marcelo Navarro and Sta. Barbara Mayor Reynaldo Velasco.

All three are seeking reelection in next year’s polls.#

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