A POLICE official accused by former Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña of harassing his supporters during the 2019 elections is contemplating running for mayor in 2022.
Major Chuck Barandog, 38, told SunStar Cebu that he is in negotiations with a national party that plans to field him as its official mayoral candidate in Cebu City.
Barandog’s name came up after a Facebook page named “SMB Motovlog” posted a video supposedly endorsing the police official to run for mayor.
But Barandog, who is the chief of the Cebu City Mobile Force Company (CCMFC), said he has yet to decide on it.
Barandog said should he decide to run for city mayor, he may have to leave his work as a police officer for good.
“As of now, I am still thinking of the factors. For me, it’s not an easy decision. A policeman’s work and that of a politician are similar in that we provide help to the public,” Barandog said.
Barandog also called upon his supporters to give him until the end of the month or just a week before the filing of the certificates of candidacy to decide.
Should he win, Barandog wants to bring reforms to the city, particularly in the improvement of its peace and order and traffic situation.
“My approach will be different from the previous administrations. I won’t promise anything but I will continue the programs of past and present mayors, especially if they are beneficial to our constituents,” Barandog added.
Barandog is a graduate of the Philippine National Police Academy, under its “Sansinirangan” Class of 2007.
In 2019, Barandog was chosen as peace adviser by Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella, who was then chairman of the Regional Peace and Order Council in Central Visayas.
During the 2019 elections, Osmeña, who lost his reelection bid that year, accused Barandog of harassing his supporters during the campaign period. The former mayor also said Barandog was responsible for killing two tanods and a female supporter in Brgy. Lusaran while the CCMFC served a search warrant in February. (PAC / JKV)