Mayors’ coalition express support for Vico Sotto amid graft complaint

MANILA, Philippines — A coalition of mayors has thrown its support behind Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto who faces a graft complaint, which they deem as “harassment” and “politicking.”

A graft complaint from a certain Ethelmart Austria Cruz who identified himself as a private citizen and Pasig resident was filed in the Office of the Ombudsman on Aug. 7.

Cruz alleged that Sotto granted a 100 percent tax discount to a telecommunications company based in Pasig City despite supposed inconsistencies in its documents submitted to city hall.

“Bagama’t oportunidad ang reklamong ito upang lumabas ang katotohanan, malinaw na isa itong pamumulitika at harassment laban kay Mayor Vico habang pumapalapit ang Halalan 2025,” the Mayors for Good Governance (M4GG) said in a statement on Wednesday.

(While this complaint is an opportunity for the truth to come out, it is clear that it is part of politicking and harassment against Mayor Vico as the 2025 election nears.)

First elected in 2019, Sotto is now serving his second term as the Pasig city mayor. He has yet to announce if he will run for a third and final term.

“May mga iilang tao o grupo na gustong usigin ang isang lingkod-bayan na sa simula pa lang ay matuwid at tapat na naglilingkod sa taumbayan,” the M4GG also said.

(There are some people or groups who want to prosecute a public servant who righteously serves the public from the start.)

Sotto on Tuesday shrugged off the graft case filed against him as he noted its “interesting timing.” He also said that “old traditional politics” and “dirty tactics” will no longer work in Pasig.

READ: Pasig’s Vico Sotto notes ‘interesting timing’ of graft case

“Hindi biro ang aming ginagawa na pagsusulong ng mabuting pamamahala, at lalong hindi biro ang ginagawa ni Mayor Vico na palayain ang kanyang lungsod mula sa matagal na paghahari ng katiwalian,” the coaltion, in which Baguio Mayor Benjamin Magalong serves as a convenor, also said.

(Our upholding of good governance is not a joke, and Mayor Vico’s steps to free his city from the long rule of corruption is also no joke.)