Pangasinan solon accepts suspension pending trial

Former governor now Pangasinan Rep. Amado Espino Jr. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

With a “heavy heart,” Pangasinan Fifth District Rep. Amado Espino Jr. began serving his 90-day suspension on Thursday pending his trial for graft for black sand mining irregularities when he was governor in 2011.

After losing his appeal, Espino told the Sandiganbayan’s Sixth Division in a three-page manifestation that he would abide by the order.

Espino’s submission to the court’s suspension order followed a similar move earlier made by Camarines Sur Second District Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte Jr.

Both lawmakers would serve their suspension from Dec. 15 to March 15, three months after the Sandiganbayan first directed their preventive suspension around the same time in September.

Not admission of guilt

Espino said this was out of “high regard to this Honorable Court and its legal processes and orders,” but claimed that “such submission, however, is in no way, an admission of guilt or culpability.”

The lawmaker also bemoaned that his suspension “effectively deprives his constituents of its [sic] voice in Congress.”

The Fifth District consists of Urdaneta City and the municipalities of Alcala, Bautista, Binalonan, Laoac, Pozzorubio, Santo Tomas, Sison and Villasis.

The court was not moved by this argument when Espino raised this in his motion for reconsideration, which it denied on Nov. 29.

It stressed its duty to implement the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act’s provision that makes it mandatory to suspend public officials facing valid graft charges.

Alleged collusion

Espino’s case for violation of Section 3(e) of the antigraft law arose from his alleged collusion with two other provincial officials to give “unwarranted benefits, privilege and advantage” to Alexandra Mining and Xypher Builders by issuing them extraction permits when he was governor in 2011.

Prosecutors accused Espino of authorizing the black sand mining activities even though the two firms lacked registration with the Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board, as well as area clearance from the Mines and Geosciences Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

Espino recently made the headlines after President Duterte accused him of involvement in the illegal drugs trade. On Sept. 27, the President publicly apologized and admitted negligence in counterchecking his reports.