No poll hot spot declared yet in P’sinan

DAGUPAN CITY – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has so far not placed any town or city in Pangasinan under its control.

Lawyer Reddy Balarbar, provincial election supervisor, recalled that in the 2004 elections, one city (San Carlos) and six towns (Natividad, Rosales, San Manuel, San Nicolas, Tayug and Sual) were placed under the poll body’s control.

But Balarbar said Senior Superintendent Isagani Nerez, provincial police director, has recommended that Natividad and Tayug towns and San Carlos City be declared "areas of immediate concern" due to their history of election violence.

But such a declaration needs a Comelec en banc resolution, he said.

Police have also recommended that the towns of Binmaley, Bugallon, San Nicolas and San Manuel be declared "areas of concern." – Eva Visperas