Pangasinan mayors back Espino

LINGAYEN, Philippines – At least 26 Pangasinan mayors have signed a manifesto supporting Pangasinan Gov. Amado Espino Jr., who  was charged with plunder before the Office of the Ombudsman for allegedly receiving jueteng money. 

The president of the Pangasinan mayors league, Dasol Mayor Noel Nacar, led those who signed the manifesto during an emergency meeting at the Capitol Resort Hotel here yesterday.

Mayors Alfonso Celeste (Bolinao), Carlitos Reyes (Mabini), John Rodney Arcinue (Sual), Jose Pajeta (Agno), Alberto Guiang (Burgos), Aldrin Cerdan (Anda), Lorenzo Cerezo (Binmaley), Eduardo Ballesteros (Aguilar), Ernesto Castañeda Jr. (Lingayen), Mark Roy Macanlalay (Calasiao), Julier Resuello (San Carlos City) and Carlito Zaplan (Sta. Barbara) signed the manifesto.

Irene Libunao (San Fabian), Herminio Romero  (Mangaldan),  Silverio Alarcio (Laoac), Manuel Collado (Alcala), Mina Joy Pangasinan (Sison), Amado Espino III (Bautista), Phillip Peralta (Umingan), Eldred Tumbocon (San Nicolas), Leoncio Saldivar III (Sta. Maria) and Teodoro Ramos (San Manuel) also signed the manifesto. 

Vice Mayor Virgilio Vallarta of Infanta town,  who filed his certificate of candidacy for mayor with Mayor Ruperto Martinez, who was killed  last Dec. 15, as his running mate, was also present during the meeting. 

Bugallon, Pangasinan Mayor Rodrigo Orduña, a confessed jueteng operator, filed the complaint against Espino. He accused the governor of receiving P900-million jueteng payola.

Meanwhile, former senator Juan Miguel Zubiri, who was in Calasiao, Pangasinan for its Puto Festival last Sunday, questioned the timing of Orduña’s expose. 

“The timing appears bad,” he said. “Why only now? If the allegations were true, they could have filed it last year.”  

 UNA supports campaign vs jueteng

The United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) said it is supporting the anti-jueteng campaign of the Aquino administration.

“Jueteng has been operating for decades... We wish the administration’s success in its campaign, but we believe it can only succeed if it takes away politics as the motive,” UNA secretary-general Toby Tiangco said.

Tiangco said political control over Pangasinan is apparently important to anyone aspiring for higher office in 2016, including Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas.

“The revelations of a whistleblower against the Pangasinan governor has given the DILG secretary a convenient excuse to revamp the provincial police force, something he cannot immediately do by classifying the province as a high-risk area for the election. The classification has been questioned by almost all incumbent local officials of Pangasinan,” he said.

Meanwhile, Malacañang assured the public that the DILG would pursue its investigation into the allegations against Espino.

 Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said Orduña would just have to back up his allegations with evidence. 

“Obviously there is no documentary evidence here. But if he has some oral evidence that can be supported, then that is something that the DILG will have to investigate,” Lacierda said.  

He said there was no recommendation yet to suspend or impose any sanction on Espino in view of the charges filed against him. – With Aurea Calica, Jose Rodel Clapano