CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Candaba Mayor Rene Maglanque denied allegations that he masterminded the filing of a plunder complaint against former mayor Jerry Pelayo before the Office of the Ombudsman.

"Ang nagkaso sa kanya ay ang magsasaka. Sila ang nagdala ng reklamo sa Ombudsman," said Maglanque, as he denied that the farmers were his dummies.

A group of local farmers led by Arnold Canimo filed last Friday a P128-million plunder case against the former mayor and several others.

Along with the former mayor, Ruel de la Cruz, Patrick McCrann, Jien Zhien Chen, Elmer Sanchez, Cornelyn Martha del Ponso, Emmanuel Belen, and Miles Gangcuangco were also charged with plunder.

Earlier, Pelayo challenged Maglanque to be "brave enough and stop using dummies."

"Hindi ko nga maintindihan kung bakit nasangkot ang pangalan ko. Nagkita kami sa isang okasyon, tinabihan ko pa nga siya at nagbigay respeto," said Maglanque.