Gov. Espino hits back at political detractors

“The issue here is no longer about black sand.”

This was disclosed by Governor Amado T. Espino, Jr. during a press conference held on February 13 at the Urduja House in response to the published news stories that came out in two national dailies on February 11 about the resolution of the Office of the Ombudsman which affirmed the indictment of the governor along with dismissed executives provincial administrator Rafael F. Baraan and provincial housing and urban development officer Alvin Bigay due to alleged participation in magnetite (black sand) mining.

“Government agencies who are in charge of taking care of our coastal areas and mining activities have said that there was no black sand mining (in Pangasinan),” Governor Espino said, even as he pointed out that the original complainant of the black sand case has admitted that “it is nothing but politics.”

Governor Espino was referring to regional offices of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) and the Environmental Management Board (EMB) which are both under the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and AROMAS president Vicente Oliquino whose voice clips were presented by the governor based on recorded video in previous media interviews on the black sand issue.

Governor Espino said that the blacksand mining issue first cropped up in 2012 when he was about to seek re-election in the 2013 elections. He said that the issue was resurrected by his political detractors in March of 2014, a month after a gubernatorial hopeful, former congressman Mark Cojuangco, declared he wanted to run as governor and the provincial chief executive’s son, Board Member and Liga ng mga Barangay president Amado I. Espino, III decided to run against Cojuangco.

“What they wanted,” the governor said, “was for me and my son not to run so that Mr.  Cojuangco will be unopposed in the coming polls.”

Governor Espino said that he cannot allow this to happen. He lamented: “Hindi naman ako papayag dahil sisirain lang nila ang Pangasinan. Kung yung bayan nga ng Sison hindi nila maasikaso, Pangasinan pa kaya?”

The governor said he cannot comprehend why his political detractors have to do this. He surmised that they would like to show that they are powerful and influential in Pangasinan and have control over some national agencies. “Kung yan ang kagustuhan nila, gusto ko lang ipaalam sa kanila na ramdam na namin ang sakit ng kaya nilang gawin,” the governor said.

“I am just wondering why Engr. Rosendo So, my friend and a fellow Filipino, citizen can afford to do such thing when he knew himself that the allegations are not true. “Is there a need to rub it on, to add more cruelty?” the governor asked referring to the dismissal of Baraan and Bigay, both of whom can no longer claim their retirement benefits and are barred to assume or run for any public office.

“If they suspend me, I cannot do anything about it but to accept it. If they serve the warrant of arrest, I will post bail,” the governor said as he wondered why the decision denying the Motion of Reconsideration had to come at a time when the 2016 elections is just less than 90 days to go.

In a press statement released to the media, the governor also lamented, “Two days ago, I have made my last and final report to our people, my beloved Pangasinenses. I have stated in my SOPA, magaan ang aking kalooban dahil iiwan ko na sa susunod na Gobernador ang isang lalawigan ng Pangasinan na mas maganda, mas maayos, mas maunlad, mas marangal at ngayon ay tinitingala na sa buong bansa.”

Unfortunately, Gov. Espino said, “Two days after my SOPA, we are surprised to read in the national newspapers, the Philippine Star and Philippine Daily Inquirer, articles written by Eva Visperas and Yolly Sotelo, respectively, stating that the Ombudsman affirms Pangasinan governor’s indictment. Now it would seem that all our accomplishments are being overshadowed by this unfortunate turn of events.”

“We are puzzled how the two correspondents of national dailies were able to write their respective stories about the Ombudsman case when we, the very parties to the case, have not yet received any copy of the Resolution of the Ombudsman which was mentioned in the articles, up to now (February 12). Suffice it to say that it is known in the media industry that the two lady correspondents are close media allies of the gubernatorial bet opposing the present administration,” the governor stated.

It was further stated in the press kit that the very complainants of the case, led by Mr. Vicente Oliquino (in a Joint Motion/Manifestation dated November 12, 2014), expressly denied any statement relative to the extraction of minerals to China.

In fact, the complainants, under oath, further stated “We have never made any such statement in the pleadings which we have caused to be filed, and lest we be charged for perjury, we wished that the said statement be rectified”, as they added, “The truth of the matter is that the recovered magnetite was stockpiled in the same barangay (Malimpuec, Lingayen, Pangasinan) where they are extracted, and never left the place.”

This was reiterated by Oliquino who was also present during the presscon, along with other complainants, who said in the interview that the people in the said barangays are in fact blaming him that the eco-tourism zone project did not push through which could have generated jobs by now for the barangay folks.

It can be recalled that no less than the former President of the Republic, Fidel V. Ramos declared in the Presidential Proclamation 1258 in 1998  that “the parcels of land of the public domain in Barangays Sabangan, Estanza, Malimpuec and Capandanan, Lingayen, Pangasinan were segregated, reserved and declared for eco-tourism and other sustainable development projects and activities for the Provincial Government of Pangasinan.”

With this in mind, the Provincial Government of Pangasinan thought of ways to develop the eco-tourism zone, without incurring tremendous expense.

The press statement further reads, “Part and parcel of the eco-tourism zone is the proposed Golf Course Project. With the terrain and cant arum at the identified area, it is difficult or almost impossible to establish the required vegetative growth for a golf course. It was recommended by experts in the matter of building golf courses that the black sand be removed, and be replaced with topsoil, so that the area can be planted with the appropriate grass and other vegetative growth.”

Even so, as confirmed by the DENR officials who conducted actual ocular inspections, there was no black sand mining in the area.

While showing current pictures of the still intact stockpile of magnetite sand along the shores of Lingayen, Gov. Espino quoted a DENR official who said, “The separation of the black sand is merely incidental to the purpose of clearing the area, in order to make it appropriate for the required vegetative growth.”