Bataoil truly loves sports

By Jesus A. Garcia Jr.

FORMER NCRPO chief Leopoldo N. Bataoil is one of the few police directors whom I know to truly love sports. He has proven this before, during his early days as a police officer, and continues to show his love for it even now that he is retired and a civilian. Marathon, basketball, volleyball, lawn tennis, practical shooting, boxing and cycling are, I believe, his favorites. He organized some tourneys in these sports when he was provincial director of Pangasinan with the intent to encourage the province’s youth to get involved in sports and help minimize the use of illegal drugs among the young.

I first met Bataoil when he was our province’ highest police officer. Our friendship blossomed when he came back to serve us again as our region’s police director after many years in Camp Crame as the PNP spokesman. He served us with much gusto despite some imbroglio, which is common to anyone in a leadership position. You can’t make the world perfect, ika nga.

But despite being burdened with problems during his term as the region’s highest peace and order leader, he did not neglect to help his subordinates in organizing sports activities. One of these was the ten-kilometer marathon held in July 2007 under the auspices of the Pangasinan Provincial Police Office spearheaded by then provincial director Sr. Supt. Isagani Nerez.

To his credit, a national women’s beach volleyball event was also held in Lingayen last summer with different teams from Luzon participating.

A cycling road race followed on August 26 the same year under the initiative of Nerez. Of course, like in the past, Bataoil also lent a helping hand and the race went smoothly. I directed that race won by Ericson Obosa of Manaoag.

With his love for cycling enhanced, he organized at his own bicycle road race in January 2007 in Binmaley and the following April in Aguilar. The two races were in conjunction with the celebrations of the town fiestas.

Over the last three years, on my birthday, December 18, we have also been organizing a bikefest sponsored by Bataoil.

His next cycling project is on January 24, Mangatarem race, in time for the celebration of the town fiesta.

A basketball tournament at barangay Sabangan, Lingayen also commenced last January 16 under his sponsorship.

Yes, the Lingayen-born Bataoil is aiming for a congressional seat in the second district of our province in the May election. His detractors say his sports activities are politically motivated and only meant to increase his popularity, especially among the young voters. But I dare say they are very, very wrong because he had been promoting sports (unlike them) when politics was not yet in his mind. Nagkataon lang at inggit lang sila. Amen.

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