3 towns, 1 city eyed as poll ‘hot spots’
ELECTION PERIOD KICKS OFF JAN. 14
THREE towns and one city in Pangasinan have been tagged by the Provincial Elections Office this early as possible hot spots in the May national and local elections with the possibility that one of those towns could be placed under Commission on Elections (Comelec) control.
Provincial Elections Officer Reddy Balarbar said San Nicolas town, located in the sixth district of Pangasinan, is a potential candidate to be placed under Comelec control owing to its history of violent incidents in past elections.
These include the slaying of former San Nicolas Mayor Conrado Rodrigo just after the elections in 2004, the slaying of Jose Doton, a militant farmer leader, and the slaying of some of the leaders and followers of the original protagonists in the 2004 polls, Mayor Leoncio Saldivar and former Mayor Christopher Jones Rodrigo.
At the same time, Balarbar foresees “hot” election contests in the towns of Binmaley in the second district, San Fabian in the fourth district, and San Carlos City in the third district.
The election period is set to start on January 14 with the filing of certificates of candidacy for senatorial candidates and party lists from January 15 to February 12.
The town of Binmaley is being considered as a possible political “hot spot” because of the expected clash between incumbent Mayor Simplicio Rosario and former three-term Mayor Roland Domalanta, who lost in the last election when he ran for vice mayor.
The expected hot political contest in San Fabian is between two-termer Mayor Mojamito Libunao and Liga ng mga Barangay president Roland Villegas.
San Carlos City is also being eyed as possible “hot spot” because of the impending clash between Vice Mayor Juellier Resuello, son of incumbent mayor Julian Resuello, and come-backing former Mayor Douglas Soriano.
At the same time, San Carlos City is also expected to be the political battle ground for the congressional race where the brother of Soriano Gallant, a deputy Commissioner of the Bureau of Customs, may possibly throw his hat into the congressional ring while the Resuellos may back up another candidate.
Outgoing Congressman Generoso Tulagan, who is from San Carlos City, is endorsing his son Jun to replace him as representative of the third district of Pangasinan.
The election calendar released by the Comelec includes the filing of certificates of candidacy for candidates for local positions and the House of Representatives from January 15 to March 22; campaign period for senatorial candidates and party lists, from February 13 to May 12; and campaign period for local candidates and candidates for the House of Representatives, from March 30 to May 12. — A.P.E.
Voters’ list
Meanwhile, the provincial office is now finalizing the list of voters in Pangasinan after the registration of new voters as well as transferees ended last December 31, 2006.
Provincial Elections Supervisor Reddy Balarbar said new registrants will be added to the existing list of voters numbering 1,217,764 as of November 22, 2006 in 1,364 barangays throughout Pangasinan.
As of that date, the number of precincts allocated was 9,426 while the voting centers numbered 1,240. The number of grouped/clustered precincts was 6,278.
Based on the heavy registration up to December 31, the number of precincts and voting centers as well as grouped or clustered precincts is expected to increase.
Thousands of people trooped to the different offices of the Comelec in 45 towns and four cities of Pangasinan up to December 31.
As of the November 22, 2006 listing, San Carlos City has the biggest number of voters at 80,250 among all four cities in Pangasinan, followed by Dagupan, 76,756; Urdaneta, 63,083; and Alaminos, 34,389.
In Dagupan, City Election Officer Remarque Ravanzo estimated the total number of registered voters as of November 22 to increase by 10% to 15%.
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