Ex-PBA player who cursed at Pasig frontliners angers Vico Sotto

Pasig Mayor Vico Sotto. INQUIRER.net file photo / GABRIEL PABICO LALU

MANILA, Philippines — Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto on Tuesday expressed disappointment over a former player of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) who hurled expletives against the personnel of the city government who are distributing relief goods during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sotto aired his disappointment during a Facebook live saying that the former PBA player used to be a teammate of his brother-in-law Marc Pingris and used to be his “idol.”

“Merong isang instance, taga-Greenpark. Siguro naliitan dun sa ano [pinapamigay]. Alam ko naman may kaya ‘yung tao na ‘yun, dating PBA player… Minura-mura ‘yung team leader natin, bakit daw ganun lang ‘yung pinamimigay,” he said.

(There is someone from Greenpark who was complaining about the quantity of what we were handing out. I know he is well-off. He is a former PBA player. He hurled expletives at our team leader and asked why they were giving only little.)

“‘Yung sense of entitlement ng ibang tao, grabe talaga. Ito mga frontliners natin na nagpapagod, over beyond the call of duty tapos mumura-murahin ng taong ‘yun? Nagpipigil lang ako, gusto ko banggitin ‘yung pangalan niya eh,” he also said.

(The sense of entitlement of other people is really off the charts. Our frontliners are tired and are working over and beyond the call of duty and that person will only hurl them curses? I am just trying to control myself but I want to mention his name.)

According to Sotto, personnel from the city government went to the subdivision after they received a request from the homeowners’ association that residents there need aid too.

He then asked why some would take for granted the hard work being exerted by the city government personnel in providing relief efforts to residents affected by the pandemic.

“Kaya din galit na galit ako sa mga… ‘yun nga, yung nabanggit ko kanina [That’s why I am really angry about what I mentioned earlier],” he said.

The mayor then called on Pasig City residents to appreciate the work of local personnel at the frontlines of distributing cash aid and relief goods, and urged his constituents to relay their negative feedback on the distribution of aid from the city in a proper manner.

“‘Yung mga programa naman, hindi naman sila ang nagdesign nun. Kung may reklamo kayo pwede nyo naman sabihin sa maayos na paraan. Hindi nyo kailangan magalit sa kanila,” said Sotto.

(The frontliners are not the ones who designed the programs. If you have complaints, you can relay it in a proper manner. You don’t have to get angry at them.)

JPV