Pasig mayoralty aspirant Sarah Discaya calls on Mayor Vico Sotto to sign peace covenant for peaceful, respectful campaign and elections. Photo by Willard Cheng, ABS-CBN News

MANILA — Pasig mayoralty aspirant Sarah Discaya has called on Mayor Vico Sotto to sign a peace covenant for a peaceful and respectful campaign and election. 

Pasig congressional aspirant Atty. Ian Sia said an open letter and a draft copy of the peace covenant was sent to Sotto’s office Friday morning. 

In the letter to Sotto, Discaya expressed hope that the peace covenant will be signed in the presence of a representative from the Church, Pasig police, and Pasig judiciary, as well as mainstream and social media. The covenant, she added, is open to Sotto’s revision. 

Discaya said the peace covenant aims to ensure a “friendly political campaign” to allow Pasig voters to be well-informed without the exchange of mudslinging.   

Under the proposed covenant, the two candidates would vow to respect each other and refrain from any form of personal insult or “baseless accusation,” commit to follow electoral laws, fight cheating and vote buying, responsible use of traditional and social media, and peaceful acceptance of the election’s official results.

“Let’s play fair…  Kasi  maraming issues na binabato, [pero] wala kaming binabato pabalik. So sana matigil ‘to kasi it’s confusing the people of Pasig whether the information that is being given is right or wrong and it’s given a misconception of who we are,” Discaya said in a press conference held at the office of St. Gerrard General Contractor and Development Corporation where she serves as the chief financial officer.

“If you know kasi our personality, hindi naman kasi kami pala-away, hindi kami nang-aaway ng kapwa namin… Gusto sana namin… huwag naman naman na mag-mudslinging. Let’s base it on actual facts, hindi yung hindi totoo," she added. 

Discaya insisted she and her husband have no current connection with St. Timothy Construction Corporation, having already divested from the company in 2017. 

She said she had nothing to do with and only knew from the news the withdrawal of St. Timothy from the Miru joint venture to supply technology for the 2025 elections.

"We did not deny that were in the GIS (General Information Sheet) of St. Timothy before. Because ang opportunities namin as a contractor nami-minimize, so ang ginawa namin we divested from the company 2017 pa. So noong 2017 wala na kaming hold sa St. Timothy, so hindi na kami involved with any decision making, with anything to do with St. Timothy kasi may sarili na siyang may-ari which is definitely hindi kami,” Discaya affirmed.

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She said that she is running for mayor to focus on the needs of Pasigueños that she said remains unaddressed such as health care, health facilities, and housing. 

She also plans to make Pasig a “smart city” with a “massive CCTV system” to make the city safe.

If elected, she said she will not stop the construction of a new city hall but will reassess its value.

Discaya said she does not accept campaign contributions to avoid being obligated to contributors. She also vowed not to touch public coffers to recover campaign expenses if elected. 

Asked if she is afraid to challenge Sotto, Discaya answered she looks beyond fear.

“Definitely takot ako kasi the incumbent mayor ngayon is well known, even yung parents niya well known. Pero kasi hindi dapat yun ang tignan natin, tignan natin kung ano yung kakulangan sa mga Pasigueño at kung ano ang kaya naming i-contribute para sa mas magandang Pasig," she responded.

Sia vouched for the character of Discaya and her husband, St. Gerrard CEO Curlee Discaya, saying they have always been ready to help people in need.