By BEHN FER. HORTALEZA, JR.

IT’S taking eternity now, Supt. Pol Bataoil, for your boys to unmask the mastermind, or at least issue some concrete progress report, in the shocking murder of Mayor Jolly Resuello. Many are thus wondering if this is not by design so peace won’t rock again in San Carlos City if and when the Philippine National Police does divulge the real, scandalous details of the killing – even if your invest and intel boys and of course, you, already know the answers.

Two weeks to grill a suspect in custody (and some others who must have been questioned already)is too long a time for any efficient police investigator to pry out the truth.

The longer the police drags its feet at disclosing concrete facts on who the killers were actually working for, the more new theories and doubts will be foisted among an anxious and jittery public by various interest groups – or doesn’t the region’s top cop realize that? Already, last week, we got hold of a letter (press statement?) by a San Carlenian writer driving so many questions into the reader’s mind as to who could have possibly put the death sentence on the ill-fated mayor.

Some details in that letter about some events just days before our mayor-friend’s death make for interesting read among those who go for whodunit paperback thrillers. That these were hardly, if ever, reported in the media or by the police itself, in its own sketchy reports of the on-going investigation (compared to the cops’ usual liberal sprinkling of theories for motives in less celebrated killings – jealousy, business rivalry, old grudge etc.) lends some ‘“credence” to the allegations and suppositions of the local writer.

We can only recall the many conspiracy theories that came out in the aftermath of the JFK assassination in Dallas. Texas.

We may understand the desire of the cops to be thorough and careful about this election-related incident but they had best try to weigh their options if they are at all serving the better public interest by keeping the people – both supporters and detractors of the slain Jolly – in the dark about what and who and why the Resuello patriarch was eliminated.

Why even foreign Peace Corps volunteer Julia Campbell’s death in a remote side of the Rice Terraces was resolved far faster than a Philippine mayor’s gunslay before a whole crowd of onlookers by the very same PNP strikes us as not just odd but also highly suspicious.

So, out with it, Supts. Bataoil, Nerez, Marcelo et al. The truth will set all men (parties) free.

* * * *
Eve of Elections 2007, my fearless forecast of winners ( a tradition among columnists and this, of course, regardless of my sympathies and personal choice) is an Al Fernandez-Belen Fernandez win in the city mayoralty and vice mayoralty race; a resounding (again) victory of Dr. Jamie Eloise Agbayani — despite (or because of) Amado T. Espino in the gubernatorial derby; Celeste over Braganza in the first congressional district; Victor Agbayani over Pep Bengson in the second district; Tulagan over Soriano, Arenas and de Vera in the third; and Joe de V over the fighting, ne’er-say-die Benjie Lim in the fourth and yes, Juan Siapno, the independent,who never bought votes, sang and danced to catchy beats onstage, did endless press conferences, climbed the boondocks, and distributed membership insurance cards and heck, still expected to win.

Never mind the unexciting and bland fifth and sixth district races for Congress where unopposed congressmen Mark Cojuangco and Conrad Estrella have slept off the entire 45-day campaign and can just as well send only their maid to vote tomorrow without fear of ever losing.

In the cities, there’s no way the Resuellos (for mayor and vice mayor) can lose now with the supreme sacrifice laid by their fallen father. Incumbents Amadeo R. Perez of Urdaneta and Nani Braganza over in Alaminos are a cinch to make it again.