Thursday, September 23, 2010

'Tony Boy' blasts media over jueteng row

NEW YORK CITY, USA – Businessman Antonio “Tony Boy” Cojuangco Jr. lashed out at media on Thursday over reports linking him to the jueteng row in the country.

The tycoon, who is part of the Philippine business delegation accompanying President Benigno Aquino III in his US visit, insisted that he did not ask retired Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz to “go easy” on Interior Undersecretary Rico Puno.

Cojuangco said he talked to Cruz for just around 10 minutes and asked him if he had evidence to back his claims regarding a list of alleged jueteng operators.

Cruz reportedly told the businessman that the names on the list were provided by the prelate’s informants.

Cojuangco, Aquino’s second-degree cousin and the biggest donor in his presidential campaign, said he does not believe that Puno is involved in illegal gambling operations.

He said he approached Cruz on his own accord to help the Aquino administration.

“Help should not end with the [presidential] campaign,” he added.

Cojuangco vented his ire on media and said journalists should not have reported Cruz’s jueteng exposé because it had no basis.

He added that the media should ignore jueteng payola stories unless they have hard evidence.

He also urged journalists to just help the Aquino administration.

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