Pelaez: Estafa raps? Baseless propaganda

CEBU, Philippines - “Baseless propaganda and total fabrication.”

This is how Liberal Party mayoralty aspirant Efrain “Jun” Pelaez, Jr. describes the estafa charges filed against him by congressional aspirant Angel Rodriquez.

Rodriguez wanted to take back the P250,000 he pitched in to the campaign kitty of the Liberal Party (LP) in Lapu-Lapu City, a matter local LP leaders refused as it had long been consumed in party activities which “Rodriguez and his cohorts had also used themselves or participated in,” Pelaez said.

“We even contributed more than P500,000 at the time he wanted his money back, and many of the expenses were even incurred by Rodriguez’s group,” Pelaez said.

Pelaez insisted that disbursements from party funds were made with proper receipts and vouchers, and disbursed and accounted for by party treasurer lawyer Galicano Arriesgado and audited by a certified public accountant.

Arriesgado said Rodriguez was given an accounting of the funds last December before Pelaez went abroad. He denied having any knowledge about prior agreement for a joint account that Rodriguez is claiming. 

“Filing the case 10 days before election day clearly shows malicious intent. It’s a desperate attempt to shore up his lackluster showing in the campaign and his embarrassment over his expulsion from the Liberal Party,” Arriesgado said. (FREEMAN)