By BUENA BERNAL
PANGASINAN’S coastal town of Dasol was placed under the control of the Commission on Elections last Saturday, but reelectionist Mayor Noel Nacar said on Monday the move was unnecessary and has tainted the town’s image.
On May 3, Nacar’s political rival, Sergio Jimenez, filed a two–page petition accused Nacar of using the local police as his personal escort and bodyguard and asked the poll body to place the town under its control. Jimenez was a three-term mayor of Dasol in the 1990s. His wife succeeded him for another two terms before Nacar won in 2007.
Because the petition was filed just seven days before the elections, time constraints prevented Comelec to hold an en banc hearing on Jimenez’ petition. The poll body declared Dasol under its control without a hearing.
Election officer Myra Sajonas said Comelec is expecting peaceful elections in the town. There have been no reports of election-related violence the whole morning Monday, she said.
“Peaceful naman ang Dasol (It is peaceful here in Dasol),” Sajonas said in a phone interview.
Nacar’s supporters said they fear Comelec’s declaration might affect the votes for the mayor.
Nacar, however, said he was more worried of Comelec’s move on the image of the town.
“Pag sinabi mo kasing Comelec control, ibig sabihin nun grabe na. Buong Pilipinas akala magulo dito (When a town is placed under Comelec control, the perception is that the situation is grave. Now the whole Philippines thinks that there is no order in our town),” he said.
Attached to Jimenez’s petition before the Comelec was an affidavit of Merayda Malicdem, Jane Jimenez, and Rexxonne Calub alleging that a truck vehicle owned by Nacar was escorted by two police officers and was used in hauling residents.
All the signatories are relatives of candidates running under Jimenez’s party. Councilor aspirant Edwin Morado is the cousin of Malicdem and the uncle of Calub while Jimenez is the sister of Dennis Jimenez, also running as councilor.
In response to the allegation, Nacar said he was merely providing transportation for voters and poll watchers who were to attend a voter education briefing in his house in Hermosa, Pangasinan.
He said the orientation was conducted by “personal” lawyers and staff well-versed in the voting process.