GOVERNOR Amado Espino III finally broke his silence a week after his loss in the May 9 elections, exhorting his supporters to help protect their sovereign rights as guaranteed by the Constitution.

In a statement he issued, Espino said the election is not yet over amid the filing of a People’s Initiative by a group of volunteers led by lawyer Laudemer Fabia, seeking the manual recount of votes casts in Pangasinan.

Meanwhile, the Abante Pangasinan and Ilokano, the political party that backed Espino III did not file an election protest over the results of the election in the province before the courts within the reglementary period set by law to file an election protest.

Espino said he still believes that with the guidance of the Divine Providence, and the continuous love of the people to their dear province, “we can finally find the answer and the truth.”

Espino said it was not only he and his family that suspect irregularities but thousands of Pangasinenses.

“Higit sa lahat, nakapagbibigay ng ibayong lakas at pag-asa ang malaman na hindi lang kami kundi kayo rin kasamang naghahangad ng kasagutan kung ano ang talagang nangyari dito sa ating lalawigan,” Espino intoned without giving a hint he was conceding the fight.

The outgoing governor admitted he was surprised by the results that showed he trailed  Fifth District Congressman Ramon Guico III, by a wide margin on the basis of which the latter was proclaimed winner of the election by the Provincial Board of Canvassers.

“Isang linggo na ang dumaan pagkatapos ng halalan, subalit sa bawat araw patuloy ang pagdagsa ng katanungan sa naging resulta ng halalan mula sa ating mga kababayan sa naging resulta ng halalan sa ating probinsya,” he said.

On the night of May 16, some 2,000 placard-bearing supporters of Espino gathered at the Capitol Plaza in Lingayen to protest the results of the election in Pangasinan, and called for a manual recount of all the votes cast. (Leonardo Micua)

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