Mayor critical, 1 dead in Pangasinan shooting

Weeks before he was shot and seriously wounded Saturday night, police in San Carlos City in Pangasinan had received reports of threats to the life of city mayor Julian Resuello. Ilocos regional police director Chief Supt. Leopoldo Bataoil admitted this Sunday even as he ordered security beefed up in San Carlos City and a province-wide dragnet operation for the assailants. “Yes, meron ... Nalusutan talaga tayo. Crowded na crowded ang auditorium, it’s an open auditorium (Yes we received word of a threat to his life and took security measures. But the assailants gave us the slip. The auditorium was very crowded)," Bataoil said in an interview on dzXL radio, when asked if the police had received word of threats to the mayor’s life. He said at least one civilian aide of Resuello, was also shot and died at a local hospital. Radio dzBB, in another report on Sunday identified the casualty as Eulogio Martinez. The report said five others were hurt in the incident, including two children. Initial investigation showed the incident occurred at 10:15 p.m. Saturday while Resuello was the guest at the coronation night of the local fiesta celebration in the city’s open auditorium. While the mayor was shaking hands with residents and supporters, shots rang out and hit the mayor and his security aides, including a police aide and a civilian aide. The mayor sustained at least two gunshot wounds in the chest and remained in critical condition as of Sunday morning, Bataoil said. Radio dzBB said on Sunday that Resuello will be transferred to a hospital in Dagupan City. Even before Saturday night’s incident, he said he already assigned a “dedicated" police supervisor in the city and augmented police troops already stationed there. “Persistent ang report kaya tutok ang checkpoints, security measures. Kaya lang nasingitan talaga (There were persistent reports of threats to the mayor’s life so we intensified checkpoints and other security measures. It was unfortunate that the assailants still managed to give us the slip)," he said. Bataoil said police investigators are now interviewing witnesses who may give leads and help them identify and get the assailants. He said that after the incident, Philippine National Police chief Oscar Calderon called him up and ordered a “no-letup investigation." A new investigating body, Task Force Resuello, had been formed. “May witnesses tayo, malamang makakuha ng lead sino ang salarin dito (We have contacted some witnesses and we expect to get leads soon)," he said. Bataoil said he also ordered more police troops sent to San Carlos City, considered a vote-rich area. “I assured the family na di namin tatantanan ito hanggang mahuli ang salarin (I assured his family we will not stop until we get the assailants)," he said. - GMANews.TV