All eyes on Maganto

Chief Superintendent Romeo Maganto said young people aspiring to enter the police service would learn all about dedication, hard work, as well as professional jealousy in his upcoming biopic, "The Legend: Tomagan."

"It’s an inspiring movie for the youth," Maganto said in a recent interview.

Tomagan, the general’s nickname coined from an anagram of his surname, recounts the ups and downs of his life, which is a mix of drama and action (Sorry, no sex, the general said.)

It tells the story of a poor boy from South Cotabato who became a leader of the masses. (He said he is mad at Bayani Fernando for driving away sidewalk vendors), and eventually, a seasoned and bemedalled policeman who rose from the ranks.

"The movie is about my exploits in the 30 years that I have been in the service, including my experience of being placed on floating status, the intrigue, and the crab mentality in this profession. The dramatic scenes show my hardships and efforts that were never recognized," Maganto said.

Action star Jestoni Alarcon plays the title role while veteran actor Eddie Garcia plays a villainous general. Chin-Chin Gutierrez portrays the role of Maganto’s wife, Nenita.

Maganto said Garcia’s character was not patterned after anybody in particular. "Basta kontrabida," he said.

The movie opens on Feb. 17, and is the third Maganto movie.

It also could not have come at a more auspicious time.

Devoid of official work for the last three years, Maganto found himself in the limelight again after being appointed by no less than President Arroyo to head Task Forces Cervantes and Kintanar.

His new assignments are to hunt down and arrest the alleged mastermind in the killing of self-styled Young Officers’ Union (YOU) spokesperson Baron Cervantes and the assassins of former New People’s Army chieftain Romeo Kintanar.

Certainly not easy. The killings, after all, were not the work of ordinary criminals.

All eyes then, especially those of his colleagues in the Philippine National Police (PNP), are on Maganto – the remaining general in active duty who is not a product of the Philippine Military Academy.

He has to live up to his public pronouncements and the title of his movie.

(The film was not revised to accommodate Maganto’s latest assignments.) "Perhaps in the fourth installment," he said, not without a hint of an excitement in his voice.

To date, the public still awaits breakthroughs from the task forces.

But in previous interviews, the media-savvy Maganto would at times decline to reveal juicy information so as not to, he explained, bungle the operations.

Meanwhile, the public – and his critics – await an award-winning performance.