Sandiganbayan allows Pangasinan Rep. Espino to travel to US

The Sandiganbayan has allowed Pangasinan Rep. Amado Espino Jr. to travel to the United States from April 9 to May 1 to attend events of the Pangasinan associations there.

In a resolution, the anti-graft court's Sixth Division granted Espino's motion to travel on the said dates.

Espino, in his motion, said he was invited to address several Pangasinan associations in the United States, namely the Association of Pangasinenses in America Foundation Inc. (APAFI) in New Jersey, and the Pangasinan Brotherhood USA (PB-USA) in California.

The lawmaker said he was asked to be a guest speaker and induct new officers in the APAFI's event.

Aside from this, Espino said will also serve as a keynote speaker in the trade seminar-workshop of PB-USA.

Moreover, he said he will also take this time to have his "long delayed" checkup with a specialist for his chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Espino is facing a graft case before the Sandiganbayan over the alleged illegal black sand mining activity in Lingayen Gulf when he was governor.

The case stemmed from his supposed collusion with two other provincial officials to give “unwarranted benefits, privilege and advantage” to Alexandra Mining and Xypher Builders by issuing in favor of the two companies permits to conduct “soil, magnetite and mineral extraction activities” in Barangay Sabangan in Lingayen Gulf, Pangasinan in 2011. —KG, GMA News