Justice still eludes kin of slain Pangasinan mayor

SAN CARLOS CITY – Nearly one year after the mayor of this Pangasinan city, Julian “Jolly” Resuello, was murdered, his family is still crying for justice as the suspects continue to elude police authorities.

Worse, incumbent Mayor Julier “Ayoy” Resuello said police have yet to arrest one of the suspected gunmen who have been identified by witnesses.

Probers still have not come up with the identity of the mastermind despite the fact that one of the suspects in the gun attack was arrested a few days after the incident.

“We are pained by the fact that we will be commemorating the first death anniversary of my father still hoping that the authorities would be able to solve his cold-blooded murder,” the young Resuello said in a statement.

“Almost all of us know that politics was the motive, all that investigators have to do is to follow this lead,” he added. Mayor Resuello appealed to President Arroyo to personally see to it that the police and the National Bureau of Investigation would stop sitting on the probe.

The elder Resuello was a loyal political supporter of Mrs. Arroyo. He was among Pangasinan leaders who helped stave off the strong presidential campaign launched in the vote-rich province by her closest rival in the 2004 polls, movie icon Fernando Poe Jr.

A P1-million reward has been offered for any information that may lead to the arrest of Cezar “Cabeza” de Guzman, one of the alleged gunmen, who is believed being protected by those who hired him to kill Resuello. 

“We have received conflicting reports that he is either being coddled by the masterminds or he had also fled from them for fear of liquidation. The best option for him is to surrender,” Mayor Resuello said.

The elder Resuello and his security escort, Jojo Martinez, were shot dead during San Carlos City’s fiesta celebration on April 28 last year.  

Gunmen opened fire at him and his bodyguards while he was greeting a huge crowd who gathered at the city plaza for the coronation night for the Miss San Carlos City beauty pageant.

Three others, including SPO1 Jimmy Almoite, were wounded in the attack believed to have been staged by at least 10 gunmen.

Angelito Soriano, one of the alleged assassins, was arrested while undergoing treatment of a gunshot wound in a nearby hospital.  

So far, police have not exploited Soriano’s arrest by helping him pinpoint those who had hired him to kill Resuello.