PANGASINAN Representative and former governor Amado Espino said Wednesday he had already met with President Rodrigo Duterte to belie the accusations that he was involved in the illegal drug trafficking.
“Yesterday, August 30, 2016, I was granted a private meeting with President Rody Duterte at Malacañan Palace. During the meeting, I categorically denied before the President any involvement in that National Bilibid Prison drug matrix. I told the President that I am willing and ready to face my accusers and all the evidence and witnesses they may present,” Espino said in a statement.
“In our meeting, the President granted my request for an immediate thorough investigation and validation of the matrix that had been submitted to him,” he added.
The President in a late night press briefing tagged Espino, Senator Leila de Lima, former justice undersecretary Francisco Baraan III; Baraan’s brother Raffy; former Bureau of Corrections chief Franklin Jesus Bucayu; and de Lima’s former driver and bodyguard Ronnie Dayan.
Espino reiterated that it would be impossible for him to collude with De Lima or her driver.
“I cannot really imagine how my name landed in that NBP matrix with Senator De Lima, in the first place, aside from our unpleasant relations, I do not even know anyone at all inside the NBP and I do not know that driver and barely know retired BuCor director Frank Bucayu,” Espino said.
“During my nine year term as governor, the province of Pangasinan was relentless in its anti-drugs campaign, up to the present.”
Espino likewise assured that he and the leadership of the Pangasinan Provincial Government will “continue to vigorously support the anti-drug campaign and other projects of his administration.”