LINGAYEN — Sad and at the same time happy.

This was how Governor Amado “Pogi” Espino III described himself after emerging  winner in the gubernatorial race in this year’s election, besting his lone challenger Alaminos City Mayor Arthur Celeste by close to 200,000 votes.

With results from 99.9 percent of the election returns in Pangasinan, Espino was credited with 781,307 votes against the 582,380 votes Arthur Celeste.

“Sad because our father, Congressman Amado Espino Jr., lost his bid for a second term of office in the fifth district. Happy because myself, my brother and our mother all won in different positions we had aspired,” Gov. Espino told newsmen after his proclamation.

His brother Jumel, who is the reigning mayor of Bugallon, prevailed by a wide margin, 127,724 votes over Board Member Raul Sison who got 108,550 votes. 

The mother of the Espino siblings, Priscilla, has just been proclaimed as new mayor of Bugallon soon to replace Jumel after earning 17,771 votes, against former Bugallon Mayor Rodrigo Orduña’s 13,771 votes.

“We went through a grueling campaign and despite the many black propaganda hurled by our opponents against us, some of which were personal, we emerged victorious,” Gov. Espino told newsmen in Pilipino.

He said the most malicious negative campaigning made by their opponents against them was when they posted on social media that Jumel and him (governor) were disqualified “to ensure that the electorate will not vote for us but our opponents”.

He said the black propaganda saw print in national newspaper while leaflets were circulated.

Espino and his father vowed to file cases against all those involved in the black propaganda.

“Sobra talaga ang black propaganda ng mga kalaban,” said Espino as he revealed that their legal team is now studying the possible filing of cases against those people who defamed them.

Asked about the role of his father who lost in his reelection bid, he said Cong. Espino will still be very busy in private life teaching the younger Espinos including Congressman Jumel in the art of good governance which he practiced during his reign.

Meanwhile, Mayor-elect Priscilla Espino turned emotional when she said her husband Cong Amado Jr. sacrificed himself politically just to defend and save his whole family from those attacks. (Leonardo Micua)             

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