P’sinan mayor says no to Comelec control

SAN CARLOS CITY, Pangasinan — Mayor Julian Resuello opposes the local Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) recommendation to place this city under Comelec control following the killing of the police security escort of Rep. Generoso Tulagan on Sunday morning.

Resuello told The STAR that the killing of SPO4 Hidalgo Palisoc was unexpected.

Palisoc was reportedly on his way home when the suspects shot him near the city hall with a caliber .45 pistol in different parts of the body.

"Unless it will be proven that it was politically-motivated, then that’s the time we can place this city under Comelec control," Resuello said.

Lawyer Temie Lambino, the Comelec provincial election supervisor who made the recommendation, said that the mayor has no right to object to his recommendation, noting that it was not the first time that a killing happened in the city.

The STAR gathered that since the start of the campaign period, there have already been nine killings in the city. However, Resuello said that not all of these were politically-motivated.

Lambino served as the provincial election supervisor in Pampanga and Pangasinan simultaneously until yesterday. His successor, lawyer Reddy Balarbar, said that once the city is placed under Comelec control, all aspects of the city including administrative matters like disbursement of funds, have to be approved by the Comelec.