I’m not a jueteng lord — Espino
LINGAYEN—“Politically motivated.”
This was the response of Governor Amado Espino Jr., who is running for re-election in May 2013, to the allegation made by a town mayor, formerly one of his closest allies, that he is a jueteng lord in Pangasinan.
“This is an old issue. Nasagot ko na ho yun lahat and then may idinagdag dito yong tungkol sa jail-alai sa Pangasinan ang makakasagot nyan siguro ang ating provincial director kaya natin sya inimbita dito,” Espino told local newsmen Friday in a press conference in reaction to a news story published in a national daily last Friday that he is involed in jueteng operations in Pangasinan.
Simultaneously, a press conference was being held in Camp Crame led by Interior Secretary Mar Roxas and Espino’s accuser, Bugallon Mayor Rodrigo Orduña.
Espino categorically denied that he has ever received bribe money for jueteng or jai-alai.
Orduña, who himself admitted jueteng involvement before he parted ways with the governor, said Espino has earned up to P900 million in protection money from jueteng operators in the province.
He claimed to have delivered the governor’s weekly take from jueteng.
Espino replied that “this is all politics” as Orduña is supporting Espino’s rival, Alaminos Mayor Hernani Braganza, in the 2013 elections.
ANG CONNECTION
Espino said it was Orduña who introduced him to gambling operator Charlie Ang.
Orduña used to be the president of Pangasinan Mayors League but resigned when he cut alliance with the governor.
Espino admitted that Ang asked permission from him to see the mayors to ask for the issuance of business permit for his jai-alai operations in Pangasinan.
Ang reportedly “promised the governor P8 million in monthly protection money”.
The governor said he perused Ang’s papers, which he found to be complete and appeared legal.
Espino then asked the provincial police director then, Senior Supt. Boyet , if other provinces were already operating jai-alai operations, to which Ricaforte said yes.
Espino stressed, however, that he himself never issued any permit to Ang.
“Since I was not the one who issued the permit as the mayors were the ones who did it, I repeat, I did not give any permit to Mr. Charlie Ang, so how can I ask anything from him?” Espino said.
“I will have to consult yet my lawyers because I was just informed that a plunder case had been filed against me in the Ombudsman. So I hope you understand,” Espino told local newsmen as he declined to answer further queries on the issue and stepped out.
VERZOSA
Senior Superintendent Mariano Luis Verzosa Jr, officer-in-charge police director, who stayed to answer questions from the media, said 96 percent of jueteng operations in Pangasinan has been eradicated based on his latest report to the Philippine National Police headquarters in Camp Crame.
Verzosa said the remaining four percent, which comprises those who conduct so-called “guerilla operations”, is very negligible.
“These are operating in the boundaries of Pangasinan who get collections here,” he said.
Verzosa confirmed that jai-alai is operating in Pangasinan, but pointed out that these have business permits issued by mayors and “collectors now have dignity bearing their identification cards unlike before”.
He said Pangasinenses are just confused with the semblance of jai-alai and jueteng operations.
He said they have directives they could not initiate police actions and regulation against jai-alai as it is under the mandate of Games and Amusement Board.
“So the police could not act if we are not deputized,” he added.–Eva Visperas with report from Johanne R. Macob
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