Pangasinan gov’s legal counsel dismisses plunder complaint

Lingayen , Philippines – The lead legal counsel of Pangasinan Gov. Amado Espino has dismissed as “pure harassment” the plunder case filed against his client by a town mayor who accused him of receiving jueteng payola.

“We see no strong case against the governor,” said lawyer Abraham Espejo in a recent meeting with reporters at the Capitol Resort.

Espejo, dean of the College of Law of New Era University, said the governor’s defense panel will use the same statements made by Bugallon Mayor Rodrigo Orduña himself during a Senate investigation into the jueteng scandal some two years ago.

Espejo alleged that the complaint was “part of a demolition job against the governor waged by his political foes so they could catch up from trailing miserably in the surveys.”

The Senate had cleared the governor based on the statements of Orduña who was then called to testify in favor of Espino during the Senate inquiry, he said.

Espejo said the governor’s political detractors might suffer the legal consequences of their misdeeds.

“The defense panel is ready should the Ombudsman recommend for a full trial on the allegations of plunder,” he said.

Espejo said despite the controversy, Espino “remains a strong ally of President Aquino and that he continues to support the Aquino administration.”

“As he supported President Aquino’s campaign in the 2010 elections, the governor is still 100 percent behind the President because he belongs to the ruling coalition. As a loyal partyman he will not in anyway jeopardize his relationship with the President,” Espejo said.

Espino is a member of the Nationalist People’s Coalition.