Baraan: Nothing but a big, horrible joke
LINGAYEN — “This is nothing but a big, horrible joke!”
This was the reaction of former Provincial Administrator Rafael Baraan to the drug matrix released to the media by President Duterte that included his brother, former DOJ Undersecretary Francisco, and Rep. Amado Espino Jr., showing their involvement in the drug trade inside New Bilibid Prison.
“What more can I say? That matrix is nothing more than that—a big, horrible joke,” Baraan added in his text message.
Rafael Baraan, was described in the matrix as a “loyal follower of Espino and brother of former Department of Justice Undersecretary Francisco “Toti” Baraan III. Rafael was earlier dismissed from government service by the Ombudsman due to black sand mining in the coastal town of Lingayen, Pangasinan. He was allegedly used by Espino to cover all his illegal activities.”
His brother Francisco said in a separate text message, “How can I comment on some matrix that no one explained to me what it means. I just see names there, that’s all.”
Francisco, popularly known as Toti, according to the matrix, “is trusted Usec of de Lima and in-charge as supervisor of BuCor (Bureau of Corrections).”
Second District Board Member Raul Palisoc Sison from Urbiztondo town and among those included in the matrix, was quoted in the matrix as saying that “Espino is the richest politician in the Northern Luzon.”
Sison flew to the United States last week for a vacation.
In an earlier interview with Sison before he enplaned to the US, he said that the grandmother of Ronnie Palisoc Dayan, driver of de Lima who reportedly collected drug money from convicted drug lords inside the national penitentiary to support de Lima’s senatorial bid, is his relative. Dayan’s grandmother is a relative of Sison’s mother (Palisoc). (Tita Roces)
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