Security tightened for 4 Pangasinan mayors

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan – Police have tightened security for four Pangasinan mayors who are reportedly targeted for liquidation by guns-for-hire.

Citing reports, Chief Superintendent Leopoldo Bataoil, regional police director, identified two of the targets as Binmaley Mayor Simplicio Rosario and acting San Carlos City Mayor Julier Resuello, son of slain Mayor Julian Resuello.

The hired killers were reportedly promised P7 million for the job.

Because of the reported plot, Rosario said he has taken extra precautions like not going out anymore for campaign sorties and strict security checks for visitors to the town hall.

"This is no joke," he said, noting that the slugs recovered in the 2005 killing of Mapandan Vice Mayor Adolfo Aquino matched those found in the San Carlos City auditorium where the elder Resuello was killed last April 28.

Meanwhile, police authorities bewailed text messages going around in San Carlos City that tended to sow disinformation in the ongoing probe on the Resuello slay.

Some of the text messages claimed that certain local and congressional candidates had a hand in the killing. – With Myds Supnad