By Romie A. Evangelista

Two police generals who have locked horns over academic honors in high school are renewing their rivalry, this time over the second highest post in the National Police.

General Geary Barias, ranked no. 3 occupying the post of deputy chief for operations, and General Jefferson Soriano, ranked no. 4 with the position of chief of directorial staff, are contenders for the no. 2 post currently held by General Ismael Rafanan, who is scheduled to retire on March 2.

Police sources said Soriano (Philippine Military Academy Class of 1976) appeared to have the edge over Barias (PMA Class of 1975).

Soriano, classmate of Director General Jesus Verzosa in the PMA, got his three stars ahead of Barias.

Soriano also could count on the support of his classmates led by Verzosa and Armed Forces Chief Alexander Yano, the sources said.

But Barias is banking on his own merits and accomplishments and the silent backing of certain powerful politicians to clinch the soon-to-be vacated post, the sources said.

During their high school days, Barias and Soriano fought for top honors at the St. Louis University in Tuguegarao, Cagayan. A year before graduating from high school, Barias left the private-owned St. Louis for the government-run Cagayan High School.

Both graduated valedictorian from their respective high schools and entered the military academy at the same time. But being younger than Barias by at least five months, Soriano was told by the academy to wait for one year until he reached the minimum admission age of 17 in 1971, the sources said.

Chief Supt. Nicanor Bartolome, police spokesman, said it remains to be seen who will eventually replace Rafanan.

The police Senior Officers Placement and Promotions Board has yet to decide on the matter, Bartolome said.

Bartolome also denied talk that religious groups such as the Iglesia ni Cristo and El Shaddai are exerting influence over the selection of sensitive positions in the police hierarchy.

?Anybody, any organization, any religious affiliation, can have its own choice but of course we have a seniority listing. Let?s give the [promotions] board the opportunity to decide on this. Anybody can exercise his own choice, even religious groups as mentioned in some reports and so these are individual choices and will not, in any way, affect the deliberations of the board,? Bartolome said.