Braganza diverting issue vs him, says P’sinan exec

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan , Philippines – Alaminos City Mayor Hernani Braganza should face squarely the plunder accusations raised against him by 15 incumbent and former barangay chiefs of Alaminos rather than hurling “malicious accusations” against Gov. Amado Espino Jr., a provincial official said yesterday.

Provincial information officer Butch Velasco reacted to Braganza’s press conference last Wednesday where he said the mayor “spent more time dragging the name of Gov. Espino rather than answering the charges against him.”

Velasco said Braganza apparently just wanted to divert the issue against him and provoke the governor to answer back.   

In the press conference, Braganza insisted that no plunder case was filed against him, “only a letter-request” to the Office of the Ombudsman to conduct an investigation against him on alleged anomalies in big infrastructure projects done in Alaminos City.

However, the complainants, in subsequent radio interviews, said they indeed filed a plunder case against Braganza.

The STAR had requested Velasco for a copy of the plunder complaint since Wednesday, but nothing had been sent as of press time. In a text message yesterday, he said he did not have a copy but would look for one.

Braganza said he is ready to face any issue against him and even challenged Espino to do the same. 

“I have always been transparent. I can face the media and welcome any questions they might want to ask me. I wonder if Gov. Espino can do the same,” he said. 

Braganza challenged Espino, who he is challenging in the gubernatorial race, that they simultaneously release their statements of assets, liabilities and net worth to the public. 

Velasco said Espino is not hampered by the “smear campaign” against him as the governor is focused on steering Pangasinan to become one of the country’s leading provinces.

Velasco said Espino has directed his lawyers to answer the legal issues surrounding the plunder complaint filed against him by Bugallon town Mayor Rodrigo Orduña, who accused him of having received millions of pesos in jueteng payola.