Puentevella: Plunder charges politically-motivated

PAMILYA MKK standard-bearer Monico Puentevella said Friday that the plunder case filed against him by the former chair of the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) was politically-motivated and does not even have the approval of the board.

“It was a clear case of harassment, as events leading to the filing of the case, I had thrown my support to the re-election bid of former congressman and presidential uncle Jose Cojuangco, head of Philippine equestrian, against shooting chief Art Macapagal, younger brother of former President Arroyo,” Puentevella said.

“Not only that, the case was instigated by his rivals and critics, including Mayor Evelio Leonardia and Vice Mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson,” he added.

“They used the PSC by befriending the former chairman to suit their whims. But up to this time, up to this moment, so that it is clear to the public, I was never summoned by any court of law to explain or submit my rebuttal to their so-called plunder case,” the MKK mayoralty bet said in reply to the published reports quoting Sayson.

“It is obvious that Sayson’s camp will mount and resuscitate cases against me because the vice mayor, who used to run under my ticket, was caught not telling the truth in a candidates’ forum aired live by ABS-CBN last March 15,” Puentevella said.

“They certainly would need to defend him at all cost as a result of the blunder he committed. It is not prudent to claim no plunder case has ever been lodged against you and your cohorts when there were many,” he added.

“It is, therefore, understandable and I commend his camp for diverting the issue against their candidate. Thousands were watching ABS-CBN’s The Morning Show, and they heard Sayson saying outright he has no cases against him. Naturally, his handlers and supporters will have to do extra effort to cushion that blunder,” Puentevella said.

Puentevella advised Sayson not to easily get onion-skinned when a wrong is being made right because that is for his own good.

The sad thing about the vice mayor, the MKK leader said, was that he was on panic button, jumping from one station to another, and still denying that a plunder case had been filed against him.

At least three plunder cases were actually lodged against Sayson by whistle-blower Sarah Teresea Esguerra and retired PNP officer Victor Eduardo, all related to the City Government’s Arao property acquisition and development that were found to be disadvantageous to the LGU due to over-pricing based on the City Assessor’s evaluation.