LP MAYORAL BETS EXPOSE BRIBE ATTEMPTS FROM ESPINO’S CAMP

 

            Where is Pangasinan Gov. Amado Espino, Jr. getting all his money?

            This was the question raised by the Liberal Party in Pangasinan as their mayoral candidates exposed attempts by Gov. Espino’s supporters to bribe them into abandoning the gubernatorial bid of Alaminos City Hernani Braganza.

            The LP mayoral candidates revealed that Espino’s offer, which ranges from P100,000 to P500,000, was coursed through Provincial Board Member Ranjit Shahani.

            The candidates made the revelation in front of party officials who called an emergency caucus in Calasiao last Wednesday following reports that 17 LP mayoral bets have signed a covenant to support Espino’s re-election bid.

            “Shahani went to my house and initially offered P100,000 then raised it to half a million pesos as initial payment for me to support Espino,” said mayoral candidate Manny Tolentino of Alcala.

            But Tolentino and 11 other LP mayoral candidates who were present during the caucus denied having received any money in exchange for political support for Gov. Espino.

            “We wish to state on record that we never signed a covenant, or any document, supporting the re-election bid of Pangasinan Gov. Amado Espino, Jr.” said the LP mayoral candidates in a signed statement released after the caucus.

            “Together with our political leaders and supporters, we remain committed to President Aquino’s and the Liberal Party’s efforts to help elect Alaminos City Mayor Hernani Braganza as Governor of Pangasinan,” added the LP candidates.

            Gualberto Sison, LP mayoral bet for Agno, said he was also offered P100,000 in cash by Shahani, but he declined the offer out of respect for Braganza.

            “May isang salita po ako. Kung sino ang kandidato ko, iyon ang susuportahan ko,” Sison reportedly told Shahani.

            The LP mayoral candidates dismissed as “false propaganda” the reports that they have junked Braganza’s gubernatorial bid in favour of Espino.

            “Pawang kasinungalingan ang pinagsasabi ng kabilang kampo. Hindi totoo na iniwanan na namin si Mayor Braganza, ang aming kandidato sa pagka-gobernador,” said Douglas Soriano, the LP’s mayoral candidate in San Carlos.

            “Kahit ano ang mangyari, ipapanalo namin si Nani Braganza at ang lahat ng kandidato ng Liberal Party,” said Constante Agbayani, LP’s candidate for mayor in San Fabian.

            Three other LP mayoral bets from Western Pangasinan said they would never abandon Braganza, who had delivered millions of pesos worth of infrastructure and development projects as two-term congressman in the First District.

            “The First District of Pangasinan owes a lot to Nani Braganza.  Western Pangasinan will deliver the votes and elect him as our next Governor,” said Percival Mallari of Infanta.

            “We will never abandon Nani Braganza. The Pangasinenses are looking for a local hero and they found one in Nani,” said Romeo Boling of Mabini.

            “We have seen how Nani Braganza transformed Alaminos City into a progressive community free from drugs and other illegal activities. We want him to do the same in the whole of Pangasinan,” said Gerardo “Gerry” Rosete of Burgos.

            Two of the LP mayoral candidates in Eastern Pangasinan, on the other hand, noted that the people of the Sixth District consider Braganza as a native in the area.

            “Nani Braganza is a son of Asingan. He will never lose in this municipality,” said Benigno Robeniol of Asingan.

            “The Braganzas, Agsaluds, and Ramoses are well-respected in Eastern Pangasinan. This is Braganza’s bailiwick,” said Herminigildo Marzan of Balungao.

            Officials of LP-Pangasinan condemned the disinformation campaign being waged by Gov. Espino’s camp, saying these were part of desperate measures being undertaken by the governor to arrest the dwindling public support to his re-election bid.

            “The Liberal Party will continue to expose such dirty tactics, including attempts to sow intrigue and disinformation using the media,” the administration party said in a statement.

“The party also calls on the public to be always vigilant in order to frustrate the desperate attempts of Gov. Espino to make a mockery out of the people’s will and the electoral process,” it added.

The LP officials noted that Braganza is the only gubernatorial candidate who has the experience, track record and moral fortitude needed to transform Pangasinan into a bustling growth center and possibly, the most progressive province, in Northern Philippines.

            “We also believe that Mayor Braganza, if elected governor, will take the lead in erasing Pangasinan’s reputation as the laggard among the provinces in Region I in poverty, hunger, peace and order, education and health situation,” the party officials stressed.

“With Mayor Braganza as our provincial leader, we are confident that the Liberal Party would implement concrete programs and projects in Pangasinan anchored on the party’s “Daang Matuwid” policy,” they added.