Espino hits foes on peace covenant

Espino shows his Certificate of Candidacy

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan – “I will always remain faithful to the norms of conduct and strongly support the advocacy of the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) for clean, honest, accountable, meaningful and peaceful elections (CHAMP) and the campaign for Secured and Fair Elections (SAFE) of the Philippine National Police.” This was the statement of Gov. Amado T. Espino, Jr. in his letter of March 23, 2013 addressed to Provincial Election Supervisor Marino Sales and Fr. Allan Morris Abuan, PPCRV chairperson for Pangasinan. While he reassured his support to PPCRV’s guiding principles of CHAMP, Espino, in the same letter, expressed regrets that he could not take part in the ceremonial activity of the peace covenant which was held at the Metropolitan Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Dagupan City last March 25.
 “For the record, these are the same guideposts that I have lived by in working for clean and peaceful elections, ever since I served as PNP Pangasinan Director, as PNP Region I Director, as a congressman, and now as governor of this province,” Espino stressed.

Rival Braganza (L) and PMA classmate Lomibao

 The governor, however, noted that “some candidates and officials are supposed to promote CHAMP and SAFE elections, are the same people who are violating the core values and principles upon which these advocacies stand.” The governor informed the COMELEC provincial chief and the PPCRV-Pangasinan chair that “majority of the local chief executives in Pangasnan and the members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan have signed a manifesto calling for a change in the PNP provincial leadership.
 In their manifesto, the SP members and mayors accused Sr. Supt. Marlo Chan, PNP OIC-provincial director, of “evident bias in favor of some candidates and has arbirtrarily and unilaterally been replacing the chiefs of police in those localities whose political leaders are perceived to be against his (Chan’s) favored candidates, without the requisite consultation with the concerned local chief executives, such acts in violation of the prohibitions imposed by the COMELE during the election period.”
 “You are also aware of the various acts of character-assassination, well-orchestrated political demolition jobs, false and fabricated accusations and harassment cases filed against this representation by our political opponent,” the governor said in his letter
. “Thus, we are afraid that the Peace Covenant Signing would only serve to legitimize the violations and abuses of some PNP officials and deceitful candidates and provide them with the perfect cover-up for their devious schemes,” the governor said in his letter.
 “Our participation in the Peace Covenant Signing would ony give the wrong signal that we are condoning their dirty tricks,” the governor added. (PIO)