Pangasinan gov to file charges vs political foes

Mayor Orduna and Boy Bata sued Espino at Ombudsman

By : Hector Lawas EMBATTLED Pangasinan Gov. Amado Espino Jr., who was recently accused of earning nearly Php1 billion in jueteng payola in the past nine years, yesterday vowed to press charges against his political enemies who allegedly bankrolled the smear campaign against him. Espino said as soon as all evidence were in, they would turn the tables and expose who were really behind the operation of jueteng in the province. In a statement, Espino’s lead counsel Dean Abraham Espejo bared that lawsuits will be filed next week to prove that the jueteng accusations were “poorly manufactured and wanting in evidence.” Espino said “even a Grade 1 pupil could discern that everything (jueteng expose’) is politically-motivated.” “The charges filed against Gov. Espino are politically motivated,” Espejo said in a press statement sent to justice reporters. Espejo said the accusation against Espino was clearly the handiwork of his detractors aimed at destroying the governor in time for next year’s election. He said the governor has been “an exemplary government official and had a sterling background as a police officer,” and is “a good man who has been elected overwhelmingly.” Espejo believed that this is the reason why the governor’s political opponents have resorted to black propaganda. He likewise stressed that the governor will remain as a loyal member of the Nationalist People’s Coalition and will continue to support the ruling coalition of President Aquino. Espino has been charged with plunder before the Office of the Ombudsman over his alleged involvement in jueteng.