Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto faced an unexpected situation on Monday when a protest against the proposed P6 billion construction of a new city hall turned out to be largely populated by Quezon City residents.

The rally, organized by a group called “Save Pasig Org,” was intended to voice opposition to the city hall project. However, Sotto was taken aback when he discovered that many of the protesters were not locals.

During his address to the crowd, Sotto inquired how many attendees were from Quezon City, prompting a significant number to raise their hands and cheer.

“For those from Pasig, you know the situation here, but I see that many of you are from Quezon City and Caloocan,” Sotto remarked, observing the crowd dressed in white shirts.

He emphasized the transparency of his administration, stating, “In Pasig, everything we do is open. You can ask me anything, and I won’t get angry. We’re doing things right.”

One protester, Larry, who identified himself as a resident of Barangay Holy Spirit in Quezon City, admitted to ABS-CBN News that he was brought to Pasig specifically for the rally. When asked if there was any incentive for participating, Larry responded, “I don’t know about that, ma’am.”

Another protester, who preferred to remain anonymous, mentioned that she attended the rally to show support for Mayor Sotto.

Sotto welcomed public scrutiny, saying, “I actually appreciate when people ask questions because it shows they care. If people don’t ask, it means they don’t care.”

He acknowledged that the city hall project is substantial and that residents have the right to ask questions but cautioned against politically motivated disruptions.

“It’s fine to ask questions if they are genuine, but if they are driven by politics to create trouble just to gain power, that’s a different matter,” Sotto said.

The mayor also criticized the use of paid rally participants and social media troll farms, questioning the logic behind spending money on such tactics. “Why would you spend so much on that?” he asked.

Sotto Points Fingers at Construction Firm for Rally Manipulation

Sotto also accused St. Gerrard Construction, a Pasig-based company, of being behind the negative campaign against the new city hall project. “These people were likely brought in by St. Gerrard.

You can see their dirty tactics,” Sotto alleged. When asked why he believed the firm was involved, Sotto said, “No one else would do it. They should answer, not me.” He noted that this information came from local leaders.

A source informed ABS-CBN News that St. Gerrard Construction did not bid for the new city hall project. The company has not yet commented on the allegations.

Legal Threats and Political Maneuvering

Despite Sotto’s efforts to clarify the situation, Save Pasig Org announced plans to file a case against him with the Office of the Ombudsman. Baldo Balbadores, a market vendors’ leader who participated in the earlier protest, stated, “If there is a counter-explanation, and he has his own explanation, there will be a forum where they must explain and where the truth should come out.”

Sotto questioned Balbadores about the Quezon City residents at the rally, but Balbadores denied any involvement in bringing them. “I was there alone, but I had companions from Pinagbuhatan,” he said. “I have no idea about that because I’m from the market. I’m the president of a market association, not from St. Gerrard,” he added.

The controversy surrounding Sotto escalated last week when a Pasig resident, Ethelmart Austria Cruz, filed a complaint against the mayor with the Ombudsman. Cruz accused Sotto of grave misconduct, gross neglect of duty, conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service, and dishonesty. The complaint stemmed from an alleged unjust granting of a “100 percent discount on penalties” to an IT company that owed over P1 million in tax delinquencies.

When asked about the complaint, Sotto dismissed it, saying, “Anyone can file a complaint. It doesn’t mean anything.”