Pasig Vice Mayor Iyo Bernardo calls out Mayor Vico Sotto for allegedly putting on a show on social media: ‘Puro palabas’
Pasig City Vice Mayor Iyo Bernardo has blasted Vico Sotto for allegedly putting on a show on social media, saying the mayor is tainting the Caruncho clan’s reputation in the city.
Bernardo was reacting to Sotto’s appeal in a Pasig City flag ceremony last Jan. 10, where Sotto urged him to work first before criticizing the performance of the local government.
“Sana bago natin pag-usapan ang pulitika, bago tayo mamulitika, magtrabaho muna tayo,” Sotto added.
Following Sotto’s statement, Bernardo compared the chief executive to an actor who’s allegedly masking the flaws of his governance in a Facebook video on Wednesday, Jan. 19.
“Parang pelikula, ako kasama ang buong city council ang direktor at camera man. Hindi mabubuo ang isang pelikula nang wala kami kung saan ang aktor ay umaarte lamang para mabigyang buhay ang kwento pero sila ang sumisikat at pinapalakpakan. Nakakalungkot ang Pasig. Naging isang pelikula na lamang, puro palabas,” Bernardo said.
The Pasig vice mayor also criticized Sotto for using social media.
“Swerte ka, Mayor Vico. Sumikat ka sa panahon ng social media. Hindi mo naranasan ang panahong sinusukat ang eleksyon sa husay ng paglilingkod. Sa kalye nasusukat ang tunay na serbisyo at tunay na pamamalasakit. Ngayon, malungkot na ginagamit ang internet para matabunan ang lahat ng pagkakamali at pagkukulang sa serbisyo,” Bernardo added.
Bernardo, who’s the grandson of former Pasig mayor Emiliano Caruncho Jr., also denied Sotto's claim that he has not been responding to texts and calls.
“Wala pong message o tawag si Mayor Vico Sotto. Para sadyain mong palabasin na ako ay nasa air-conditioned room lang at hindi nagtratrabaho, kailangan kong ipaalala sa iyo ang ambag ko at ng aking pamilya sa Pasig… Kaya ako magsasalita ngayon ay para proteksyunan ang pangalan ng pamilya Caruncho na pilit mong dinudumihan,” Bernardo added.
‘Nakakalungkot isipin na sinakop na tayo.’
Bernardo asserted that his job as vice mayor is to supervise the passage of ordinances in Pasig City. “Lahat po ng batas at budget na ikagagaang ng pamumuhay niyo ngayon, sa pamumuno ko kasama ng buong city council, ay amin na pong naipasa.”
He also noted that he wouldn’t have released a statement if Sotto didn’t publicly criticize his brand of service during the flag ceremony. The Pasig mayor reportedly said that the vice mayor has been skipping meetings, events, and the turnover of the city’s budget proposals.
Bernardo criticized Sotto for allegedly appointing department heads who are not from Pasig City, without naming the city officials involved.
“Nakakalungkot isipin na sinakop na tayo. Wala ka bang bilib sa kakayahan ng mga Pasigueño? Ano ang mayroon sa mga nakaupo ngayon na taga-Quezon City at San Juan na wala sa mga pinamumunuan mo,” he said.
The vice mayor also questioned the mayor for buying disinfection drones and scolding city council members for increasing the cash aid for tricycle drivers.
“Ang P3,000 budget para sa ating mga TODA ay minabuti naming gawing P4,000 pero imbis na ikatuwa mo ito, pinatawag mo kasi sa 8th floor para pagalitan,” Bernardo added.
In October 2021, Bernardo filed his candidacy to run against Sotto as mayor of Pasig City in the 2022 national elections. Meanwhile, Sotto is seeking another term as the city’s chief local executive.
Sotto is currently under isolation after testing positive for COVID-19.