SAN CARLOS CITY— Mayor Julian Resuello vowed to sign a peace covenant soon with all the local candidates for the May elections even as he protested the inclusion of the city in the list of “areas of immediate concern” (AIC) by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and the  Philippine  National Police (PNP).

The city was also placed under Comelec control in 2004 as elections here have historically been marred by intense political rivalries, but Resuello said they have now moved forward and the city is already experiencing a hard-earned economic progress.

The mayor said being placed under Comelec control has a bad connotation and could send wrong signals to investors.

“We’ve been inviting investors to our city and if they read that it would be placed under Comelec control, they might not come to us anymore,” he said.

Speaking during the “Talakayan sa Isyung Pulis” (TSIP), Police Regional Director Chief Supt. Leopoldo Bataoil explained that the AICs are identified based on the parameters of the national PNP  headquarters at Camp Crame and on account of previous electoral incidents.

Meanwhile, Police Provincial Director Sr. Supt. Isagani Nerez identified Natividad and Tayug, both located in the eastern part of Pangasinan, as the two other AICs in the province.

Resuello, however, stressed that there was no violence recorded in 2004.

“Let’s take it from the statement of the mayor that they will support the peace and are willing to sign a covenant with other prospective candidates just to ensure that there would be peace during the election,” Bataoil said.

Now on his third and last term of office, Resuello will run for vice mayor in the coming election to team up with his son, incumbent Vice Mayor Julier Resuello, who will run for mayor.

The Resuellos are the first father and son tandem in the province’s political history to succeed in winning an election as running-mates in the 2004 polls.

Vice Mayor Julier Resuello is set to be challenged by former Mayor Douglas Soriano.

On the other hand, Soriano’s younger brother, Atty. Gallant Soriano, is also set to run for congressman in the third district of Pangasinan.—LM

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