GOVERNOR Amado Espino Jr., who is facing a plunder case before the Office of the Ombudsman over alleged bribe money from jueteng operations, is fighting back in court as he vowed to file charges next week against his “political enemies” for what he called a smear campaign against him.

Espino, who has earlier denied receiving payola money, said they are now collecting evidence to expose those who are behind the operation of the illegal numbers game in the province.

“Even a Grade 1 pupil could discern that everything is politically-motivated,” Espino said in a statement.

Espino has hired a pool of lawyers for his battle and his lead counsel, lawyer Dean Abraham Espejo, described the charges against the governor as “poorly manufactured and wanting in evidence”.

Espejo also said the accusation against Espino was black propaganda initiated by his opponents to destroy the governor’s name in time for next year’s election where he is running for re-election for his third and final term.

“We are appealing to the authorities to observe due process and stop this sinister political persecution. In particular, political opponents of Espino were behind the demolition job,” Espejo told reporters in Manila.

SQUID TACTICS

Meanwhile, Alaminos City Mayor Hernani Braganza, Espino’s opponent in the gubernatorial race, said in a statement issued by the Liberal Party (LP) Friday that they expect the governor to also use black propaganda, or “squid tactics”, against him to divert public attention from the jueteng issue.

The LP said they have received reports that Espino has hired an expensive public relations (PR) firm for the black propaganda

Braganza said the PR firm’s operations will involve Manila-based reporters who will be asked to write or air stories regarding the case filed by 11 barangay chairmen from Alaminos against him before the Ombudsman several months ago for alleged non-release of barangay funds and confiscation of barangay vehicles.

“The PR firm had to tap reporters in Manila after Quezon City newsmen, who regularly cover the Ombudsman beat, refused to be part of the black propaganda operations,” Braganza claimed.

Braganza said the media operation will also involve the filing of an administrative case against him before the Office of the President using the Ombudsman case as a pretext.

“As explained by our source, the barangay captains will go to the Office of the President to seek the issuance of a preventive suspension on me. They would cite the case of Cebu Gov. Gwen Garcia as a precedent,” the mayor said.

“That way, they aim to tie the hands of Malacanang if ever the Office of the President finds probable cause to slap Gov. Espino with preventive suspension due to his involvement in jueteng operations,” he added.

Braganza pointed out that his lawyers had already moved for the dismissal of the cases before the Ombudsman, citing perjurious statements made by the complaining barangay chairmen in their allegations.

He added that the Alaminos city budget office has already provided the Ombudsman with documents proving that all the barangays received the barangay aid due them.

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