Espino’s late support for Roxas belittled
ROSALES—Outgoing Gov. Amado T. Espino Jr.’s support for the Liberal Party’s presidential aspirant is too late in the face of the surging lead of candidate Grace Poe.
This was the assessment of Engr. Rosendo So, chairman of Samahan ng Industriyang Agrikultura, a multi-sectoral agricultural alliance of more than 30 groups in the country, and a staunch supporter of Ms. Poe in Pangasinan, and belittled the “late show of coming out and expression of support” by the Espinos in Pangasinan for Mr. Roxas.
“He (Espino) is facing plunder case in the Ombudsman and he needs someone to lean on from the administration,” So said. “Kailangan niyang sumipsip,” the outspoken he added.
So made this statement after Roxas appeared on April 30 at the Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center gymnasium, Lingayen to be with Mr. Espino and LP leaders in Pangasinan.
However, the governor was not around and only his son and namesake, Amado Espino III, who is running for governor, unopposed second district Rep. Leopoldo Bataoil, re-electionist Vice Gov. Jose Ferdinand Calimlim Jr, other board members leaders and four out of 48 incumbent mayors aligned with Mr. Espino met Roxas.
Expressing confidence he would win in the presidential race, Mr. Roxas raised the local candidates’ hands to affirm their mutual support.
So said the late and surprised support of Gov. Espino for Mr. Roxas was influenced by the warning of Mr. Roxas, then secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government, to “get a good lawyer because this cannot be solved through politics or comradeship and this will pass through the right legal process” after the governor was charged with plunder at the Office of the Ombudsman for his alleged involvement in illegal numbers’ game “jueteng”.
Then Bugallon mayor Rodrigo Orduna, a self-confessed jueteng payola collector, filed the charges against the governor who reportedly received P800-900 million in jueteng payoffs over the past 10 years. Mr. Espino vehemently denied Orduna’s allegations.
The charge against Espino is still pending before the Ombudsman. (Tita Roces)
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