Sotto on allegedly ‘overpriced’ contract: Fake news

MANILA, Philippines — Pasig Mayor Vico Sotto has branded as “fake news” the claim that a city contract for 400,000 calendars, over 600 reams of bond paper with letterhead and calling cards was overpriced.

Because the public bidding was not rigged and the cost was not padded, the city government saved around P9.7 million or 66 percent because the contract price came down to just P4.9 million out of the P14.5-million approved budget, he said.

In his official Facebook account, Sotto scoffed over the weekend at posts on social media claiming the city government had paid up to P36.7 million for 400,000 calendars, 630 reams of short and long bond paper with letterhead and 560 packs of calling cards for various offices.

He also included a message to the people behind the claims, along with a laughing emoticon: “To those who are spending millions just to smear the new administration of Pasig, go ahead, get rid of some of your wealth.”

Message to trolls

“To their paid trolls, I understand you; you may be in need of a job but I hope you think about this well: Do you really want to be used as an instrument for lies that may harm society?” Sotto said.

Banking on his brand of promoting transparency to rid the city of corruption, the 30-year-old Sotto scored a landslide victory in last year’s election, ousting then incumbent Mayor Robert Eusebio, whose family had ruled Pasig City for decades.

“Other politicians will promise you the sky,” he said during his campaign. “My only promise is this””when I am in City Hall, not even one peso in illegal funds or kickbacks will go into my pocket.”

In December, Sotto announced the city government had saved P150 million in the first five months due to stricter and “truly open” bidding processes, which were streamed live on Facebook.