Newspaper ad criticizes bishop's jueteng accusations

For linking Pangasinan Governor Amado Espino Jr. to the illegal numbers game jueteng, a full-page newspaper ad was placed on Thursday, rebuking retired Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz, and threatening to declare the prelate persona non grata – an unwelcome person – in the province. Pangasinan officials placed a full-page ad in a major Metro Manila newspaper expressing "indignation" over "sweeping and unfounded accusations" linking their governor to the illegal gambling mess. "It is our common sentiment that anybody who malevolently attempts to destroy the credibility of the Governor and endeavors to divert his attention from excellently performing his task of steering the province towards progress and development should be declared as persona non grata in the Province of Pangasinan," they said in their manifesto dated September 21. "We despise the inclusion of Governor Espino's name in the list of jueteng lords and operators provided by retired Archbishop Cruz during a Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing," they added. The manifesto was placed in Thursday's edition of The Philippine Star. The ad also contained photos of Espino's projects.

Cruz linked government officials to jueteng when he testified before a Senate hearing on the matter last Tuesday. In the manifesto-ad, the officials conveyed their "displeasure" over the "patently biased and utterly speculative accusations" linking Espino to jueteng. Espino has "a long record of accomplishments, an unquestionable political will, a deep sense of love for Pangasinan and a commitment to uplift the lives of Pangasinenses," they added. "We are aware that Governor Espino has exerted efforts to extinguish 'jueteng' in the Province of Pangasinan because the operations thereto is illegal per se," they said. Signing the manifesto were provincial board members led by Vice Governor Jose Ferdinand Calimlim Jr. — LBG, GMANews.TV