MANILA — (UPDATE) Pasig Mayor Vico Sotto on Monday met with protesters who were rallying against his administration’s plan to construct a new city hall worth P9.6 billion, but found that those who attended the rally were residents of Quezon City.

The rally was supposedly organized by a group called 'Save Pasig Org,' but when Sotto asked who among them were from Quezon City, most of the protesters raised their hands and shouted, "Woohoo!"

“Kung sino naman po taga-Pasig dito, nakikita niyo naman po 'yung crack galing sa loob pero alam ko po 'yung iba sa inyo galing QC at Caloocan,” Sotto told the protesters, who were wearing white shirts.

“Tayo sa Pasig, bukas tayo. Lahat ng transaksyon natin, bukas. Tanungin niyo ako, hindi po ako magagalit. Maayos po ang ginagawa natin,” the mayor said.

'Mga hakot'? Protesters' reaction to Vico's question confirms his suspicion

QUEZON CITY RESIDENTS IN PASIG RALLY

One of the protesters told ABS-CBN News that he was from Barangay Holy Spirit in Quezon City.
“Pinick-up lang po kami sa Quezon City,” said Larry, a protester tasked to hold a tarpaulin during the rally.

When asked what was offered in exchange for their attendance in the Pasig rally, the protester said: “Yan lang, ma’am, ang hindi ko alam.”

Another protester — who refused to disclose her name — said she joined the trip to Pasig City to express her “support for Mayor [Sotto].”

“Sa totoo, gusto ko nga pong nagtatanong ang mga tao, ibig sabihin may pakialam sila. Pag hindi nagtatanong, ibig sabihin walang pakialam,” Sotto said.

“Itong project na ito na City Hall medyo malaki talaga, kaya tama lang po na magtanong ang mamamayan, pero wag po sana nang dahil sa masamang pulitika,” he said.

“Okay lang po sana kung totoo yung tanong pero kung dahil po sa pulitika na gusto nila sila yung may hawak ng project… guguluhin nila kasi gusto nila sila yung nasa kapangyarihan, ibang usapan po yun,” he said.

“Pero kung nagbabayad ng troll farm sa Facebook, nagbabayad para mag-attend ng rally, masama po yan, hindi po maganda yan… Ang tanong, bakit ka gagastos ng malaki para sa ganoon,” he added.

SOTTO TAGS CONSTRUCTION COMPANY BEHIND PROPAGANDA

Sotto said some ground leaders claimed that St. Gerrard Construction (SGC) — a company based in Pasig City — is behind the propaganda against the new city hall project.

“So iyan po mga hakot siguro ng St. Gerrard ito, kita niyo po yung dirty tactics,” the Mayor said.
When asked why he suspects the construction firm, Sotto said: “Wala namang ibang gagawa. Sila dapat ang sumagot, hindi ako.”

“‘Yun 'yung mga sabi lang sa akin ng mga leaders,” he said.

St. Gerrard Construction did not bid for the new Pasig City Hall project, a source told ABS-CBN News.

ST. GERRARD DENIES INVOLVEMENT

SGC is “not involved” in the rally against the new Pasig City Hall project, said Atty. Raymund Mendoza, the construction firm’s representative.

“Nagulat sila at medyo worried sila na dinala yung pangalan ng company,” Mendoza said in a press conference in Mandaluyong.

“Medyo uneasy din sila. Medyo uneasy kasi hindi din naman madai ma-drag sa story na ganoon. Of course, they have their reputation to protect,” he said.

“They are also looking at how to protect the interests of the said corporation… It’s not definite now. They are just looking at options that could possibly include legal action,” he said.

Construction firm eyes legal action vs Vico Sotto after Pasig rally

CASES VS SOTTO BEFORE THE OMBUDSMAN

Despite Sotto’s explanation, Save Pasig Org still plans to file a case against him with the Office of the Ombudsman, said Baldo Balbadores, a market vendors’ leader who joined the earlier protest.

“Kung mayroong kontra paliwanag, tapos mayroon siyang paliwanag yan ay darating sa isang forum na kailangan nilang magpaliwanag pareho, pagbanggain yung mga paliwanag nila at kung sino ang magsasabi ng totoo, yun ang dapat makararing sa mga tao,” he told ABS-CBN News.

Sotto asked Balbadores why he brought protesters from Quezon City, but the market vendors’ leader denied his involvement in the scheme.

“Mag-isa lang ako pero may mga kasama talaga akong mga taga-Pinagbuhatan,” he said.

“Wala akong ideyang ganoon kasi Palengke ako, presidente ako ng samahan sa palengke. Hindi ako taga-St. Gerrard,” he added.

Last week, a certain Ethelmart Austria Cruz — a resident of Pasig City — filed a case of grave misconduct, gross neglect of duty, conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service, and dishonesty against Sotto before the Office of the Ombudsman.

Cruz’s complaint stems from the supposed unjust granting of a “100 percent discount on penalties” against an IT company that owed the local government over P1 million in tax delinquencies.

When asked for comment about the complaint filed before the Ombudsman on August 7, Sotto said: “Anyone can file a complaint. It doesn’t mean anything.”

Sotto is expected to run for re-election in the May 2025 midterm elections.