Review poll hotspot tag, P’sinan mayors ask Roxas

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan, Philippines – Mayors in this province have reached a consensus to ask the national leadership, through Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Mar Roxas, to review the reported inclusion of Pangasinan among the 15 “high-risk” areas in the country for the 2013 elections.

The mayors’ concerted act came following a statement by lawyer Mariano Salas, Commission on Elections (Comelec) provincial supervisor, that the DILG’s move was “premature.”

The mayors made the request in a consultation-dialogue here for safe elections last Tuesday along with regional police director Chief Superintendent Franklin Jesus Bucayu, provincial police director Senior Superintendent Mariano Luis Versoza Jr. and local police chiefs.

The mayors said the poll hotspot tag has “created a negative impression for Pangasinan, especially now that is has become a favorite site for conventions, sports competitions and lately, the Miss Earth International beauty pageant.”

“The inclusion (in the list) maligned the image of the province,” said Mayor Eldred Tumbocon of Umingan town where a hidden waterfall has become a favorite hideaway.

Laoac Mayor Silvestre Alarcio, a retired police general, said Roxas’ perception about “intense political rivalry” in the province was “somehow off-tangent and uncalled for.”

“Pangasinan is a peaceful place to conduct business and build a family,” added Alarcio.

For his part, Urdaneta City Mayor Amdeo Gregory Perez IV said his city has consistently been cited as the “cleanest, greenest and safest place in the region, a complete opposite of the DILG pronouncement.”

Provincial administrator Rafael Baraan said it was “unfortunate that Pangasinan was tagged as “high-risk” area, considering the “remarkable gains the province has achieved over the past five years.”

“We have been working so hard to achieve our vision in making Pangasinan the best place to work, live, invest and raise a family and yet all our efforts were put into bad light just because of this propaganda which was obviously orchestrated by people who want to play dirty tactics to destroy the momentum of the province,” he said.

“We were taken aback because the DILG had given Pangasinan at least 10 awards, for outstanding performance, notably the Seal of Good Housekeeping award,” he added.

Meanwhile, Gov. Amado Espino Jr. urged all local chief executives to continue working, saying that “good things will prevail over bad ones.”

Espino said everything is part of dirty politics, adding that during his term as regional police director in 1998, the region was cited to have conducted the most peaceful elections in the entire country.

“We were awarded as the Best Command in the entire Philippines,” he said, lamenting though that even with his best efforts, he was relieved from his post due to politics.

“The province does not deserve what is currently going on,” Espino said, as he appealed to the mayors to continue working hard for the welfare of their constituents.

“These are all happening because of me and I am asking forgiveness from you,” he said in Filipino, pointing out that his re-election bid may have been the main reason why his rivals resort to dirty tactics.