MANILA, Philippines - Bugallon, Pangasinan Mayor Rodrigo Orduna claimed he personally delivered jueteng payola to Pangasinan Gov. Amado Espino for the past 9 years.

Orduna claimed he served as Espino’s bagman for the past 9 years since the time Espino was a congressman.

“I am the one who personally gives it to him. I get it from the cashier and then prepare the cash in a shopping bag and bring it to Barangay Fortich in Bugallon. Sometimes, I bring it to his house in Bautista,” he said.

The mayor claimed jueteng operators agreed to give P10 million monthly to Espino. He said he gave P2.5 million in jueteng payola to Espino every Saturday.

He said Espino was just a jueteng protector when he was still congressman but later decided to take over as the big boss in the province.

Orduna admitted that there is no paper trail for the alleged jueteng payola since everything was given in cash.

He also claimed he turned on Espino because the politician was taking advantage of him.

“Hindi na siya tumatanaw ng utang ng loob,” he said.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas said Orduna’s claims will undergo investigation after he filed a plunder case against Espino before the Ombudsman.

ANC, December 14, 2012