BAYAMBANG–Former Fifth District Rep. Mark Cojuangco described as “frivolous” the plunder case filed by a group of tobacco farmers before the Office of Ombudsman against him and his wife, incumbent Rep. Kimi Cojuangco.

In an interview with the local media here, Cojuangco said, “Hindi ako nababahala dito kasi alam kong frivolous lang lahat ng ito.

Cojuangco said he has not received a copy of the complaint that local broadcasters of blocktime programs of the provincial government have been airing and published in some local newspapers. He questioned the timing of the filing of the complaint with the Ombudsman allegedly on March 16.

“Bakit ngayon? Dahil ba nagkaroon na ng indictment si Gov sa black sand yung kaso nya?” Cojuangco asked.

Cojuangco was referring to the two counts of graft case recently filed by the Ombudsman before the Sandiganbayan against Espino and 15 others. The Sandiganbayan already issued a hold-departure order the other day against Espino and his other co-accused.

Cojuangco said the filing of complaint against him “is a tactic to divert attention away from the case Espino is facing about black sand mining.”

“There is already an indictment and next to that would be the issuance of an arrest warrant (against the governor and his co-respondents),” Cojuangco said.

He said the tax share of his district when he was congressman was properly spent and compliant with existing laws.

“There was no deficiency, you can check where it went and it was already audited by the Commission on Audit,” he added.

The complainants, who are members of the North and Central Luzon Tobacco Farmers Association, Inc. represented by Ruben Lagmay and Virginia Salta, accused the Cojuangcos of misspending over P569-million in tobacco excuse tax shares from 2010 to 2012, the report from the Sunday PUNCH said.

Cojuangco said the situation cited is impossible since two of his big projects in two towns, Alcala and Villasis, the modern warehouse and drying facilities already amounted to more than 400-million from the district tobacco excise tax share. He also had his dairy farm project in Sison town that was partly funded by the tobacco excise tax share.

Also during his stint as three-term congressman, Cojuangco also provided modern farm equipment to various towns in his district from the tobacco excise tax share.

Cojuangco said it has been years since he stepped down as congressman, “so why did they file it now?”

“They only want to divert the people’s focus from their case so that’s the tactic they employ,” he said.

Cojuangco is running for governor in the May 9 elections against Espino’s son and namesake, Amado Espino III who is the president of the provincial federation of the Liga ng Barangay.

The graduating governor, on the other hand, is also running against Cojuangco’s wife, Rep. Kimi Cojuangco, who is seeking her third term in the fifth congressional district.

The Cojuangcos and the Espinos were strong political allies-turned-enemies. (Tita Roces)

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