Pampanga Governor Lilia “Nanay” Pineda said she could not tolerate any extortion activities, like what happened to arrested San Simon Mayor Abundio “JP” Punsalan Jr.
“Bilang Ina ng Bayan ng Pampanga, hindi ko kinukunsinti ang ganun, hindi ko pwedeng kunsintihin yung ganun,” she said in a video statement posted in the Provincial Information Office (PIO) Facebook page.
Operatives from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) conducted an entrapment operation against Punsalan on Tuesday, August 5, while he was allegedly receiving a bribe of P30 million cash.
The amount was reportedly an initial payment for the P80 million that the mayor allegedly was asking from RealSteel Corporation in exchange for business permits.
Pineda recalled that on the same day, hours before the arrest, Punsalan joined the other Kapampangan local government officials in taking oath for honest governance and services.
“Nalulungkot ako dahil mayor sya ng Pampanga, sya na lang ang makakapagsabi sa sarili nya kung bakit nangyari sa kanya ‘to,” she said.
“Sa atin pong mga kababayan, lalo na po ‘yung bayan ng San Simon, ‘yung nangyari po na ‘to, pagdampot ng NBI sa mayor nyo, alam nyo po ginagawa ko naman po lahat at saka ni Vice Gov (Dennis Pineda) kung ano po yung ginagawa naming pag-aalaga sa inyo, yung pagtulong, pero dito po sa nangyari sa mayor nyo, nagulat ako. Hindi ko po alam bakit nangyari ito,” Pineda lamented.
The post Gov Pineda on arrest of San Simon mayor for alleged extortion: ‘Hindi ko kinukunsinti ang ganun’ first appeared on Politiko Central Luzon.