LINGAYEN–Peace generally prevailed in Pangasinan on voting day despite the pre-election violence, according to Senior Superintendent Isagani Nerez, police provincial director.

Only fistfights and other pormahan (posturing) among hot-tempered supporters and relatives of candidates in some towns in this vote-rich province were reported and were promptly acted upon by the police during the conduct of the May 14 elections.

Nerez told The PUNCH that “of the 10 reports of alleged untoward incidents reported to the police, about 9.5 were considered false reports.”

“Karamihan naman puro haka-haka, unverified at gusto lang atang magpasikat sa kanilang amo (Most were merely hearsay and it seems they just want to impress to their respective bosses),” he said.

In Umingan town, some 109 ballots were missing but this was immediately addressed by officials concerned.

He said the 1,806-strong members of the Pangasinan police were augmented by about 250 members from the Regional Mobile Group, Special Ac tion Force and other units plus another 100 from the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

The tension-filled San Carlos City, still reeling from the April 28 slaying of Mayor Julian Resuello, was also peaceful so far, although accusations from warring rivals continue, according to Nerez.

The area had an air of being a war-zone on Election Day because of the high visibility of police and army troops plus an armored personnel carrier.-EVA

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