Vico Sotto replies to NBI, asks for clarification

MANILA, Philippines — Pasig Mayor Vico Sotto on Thursday said he responded to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) through a letter, asking for clarifications on his alleged violations on the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act.

On Wednesday night, the NBI ordered Sotto to answer his alleged violations on the government’s quarantine protocols.

“I sent my letter reply earlier today. We asked them for clarification as to what they are actually alleging, as their letter was not clear and no specific acts were mentioned,” Sotto said in a text message to INQUIRER.net.

Previously, Sotto questioned NBI’s letter, saying it stated “continuous tricycle operations in Pasig,” which the local government already stopped.

“Ano ba namang letter… ang nakasulat lang parenthesis lang e.g. continuous tricycle operations. In the first place hindi totoo yun, nung sinabi nilang tigil pinatigil na namin yun,” the Pasig mayor said.

(What kind of letter is that… It stated, in parenthesis, for example, continuous tricycle operations. In the first place, that is not true, when they ordered us to stop it, we already stopped it.)

The NBI ordered the Pasig mayor is required to submit his response on April 7 at 10 a.m.

It can be recalled that Sotto allowed tricycles to ferry passengers, especially health workers, to their destinations as mass transport services are suspended during the quarantine period, citing that some emergencies can be reached through tricycles.

But the Department of the Interior and Local Government insisted that tricycles should be banned during the ongoing quarantine period which Sotto later complied.