Guv ready to face graft charge
SANDIGANBAYAN CASE
LINGAYEN— “I’m sad but it is there. We have to face it.”
This was the terse reaction of Gov. Amado T. Espino Jr. on Wednesday, March 16, to the report that he and two other provincial officials have been charged with two counts of graft before the Sandiganbayan for allegedly issuing permits to two unqualified mining companies to mine black sand in Lingayen in 2011.
Charged with the governor are provincial administrator Rafael Baraan, Provincial Housing and Urban Development Officer Alvin Bigay, and 13 officers of Alexandra Mining and Oil Ventures Inc. and Xypher Builder Inc.
Mr. Espino said he had not received a copy of the charge sheet that alleged a black sand (magnetite) mining in Lingayen.
While he was not surprised about the filing of the case, the governor cited the timing of the filing proved further that the issue is politically motivated.
He said the charge was first raised in 2012 during the campaign period and they failed to pursue the case for lack of evidence, and it is again being raised in this year’s election.
“Nagulat ako biglang lumabas sa Sandiganbayan kung kelan malapit na ang election,” Mr. Espino noted.
He reiterated that all the original complainants with the exception of one, and officials of government environment agencies have long affirmed that there was no black sand mining at the ecotourism zone covering four barangays in Lingayen namely Sabangan, Estanza, Malimpuec, and Capandanan.
“I assure everybody na sasagutin ko lahat ng kaso,” he concluded.
Mr. Espino said the black sand issue is again resurrected for political purposes since his son is running for governor while he is running for the congressional seat in the Fifth District.
“The real issue here is not the black sand… This is happening because they don’t want me and my son to run,” he then said.
The Espinos are running against the husband-wife tandem of former Congressman Mark Cojuangco and incumbent Fifth District Representative Kimi Cojuangco. (Johanne R. Macob)
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