PASIG city Mayor Vico Sotto yesterday warned his detractors he will expose them and their alleged illegal activities if they involve members of his family in the smear campaign against him.
During the city government’s flag-raising ceremony, Sotto said that since he filed his certificate of candidacy for reelection, the attacks, political and personal, against him have intensified, to the point that his detractors are now also targeting his family.
He said that if these people do not stop, he will have no choice but to fight back starting with identifying them.
“I ask these people to stop. Pero kung patuloy sila at idadamay pa pamilya ko, dito mismo sa flag ceremony ibubunyag ko kung sino kayo,” he said.
Later in the afternoon, Sotto promised his constituents that tax rates in the city will “never rise… while I’m still here.”
He made the commitment during the State of the City address (SOCA) held at the Rizal high school gym in Barangay Caniogan.
He also said the budget for the city government’s infrastructure, education and health programs will not be used to fund the construction of the new city hall, which is estimated to cost more than P6 billion.
He also promised to raise the financial aid for barangays from P3 million to P6 million. “(But) this aid must be carefully audited, meaning kailangan may mapuntahan ang nga financial aid na ito (meaning these financial aids have to yield positive results),” Sotto said.
He also said the city government will start distributing cash subsidy to the city’s solo parents next year, as well as increase the monthly pension of senior citizens.
In a related development, more offices have transferred to the temporary city hall located in Barangay Rosario.
These offices include the City Accounting Office, City Transportation and Development Management Office, Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (except requests for CCTV viewing), Local Economic Development and Investment Office, Office of Rep. Roman T. Romulo, Office of General Services — Asset Management Division (Technical Inspection Section, Receiving, at Request for Clearance from Accountability), and the Pasig Urban Settlements Office — Urban Poor Services Division (HOA concerns and issuance of Special Electrical Certificate for Residential Houses in Urban Poor Communities).
