Drug and crime issues are defeating Vico Sotto’s progressive and innovative approach to governance.

What were left out of the brand of leadership of the mayor of Pasig City are now overshadowing the splendorous grandeur of his iconic P9.6-billion city hall.

Poverty, illiteracy, unemployment, dimly lit alleys, unpaved passages, substandard living conditions, environmental pollution, human rights violations; the Pasig River, a major waterway, threatens severe pollution, affecting water quality and public health.

Furthermore, socioeconomic disparities and accessibility issues, especially for people with disabilities, hinder urban development and inclusion, and worse, it seriously diminishes the timeliness and wisdom of building a new and expensive city hall.

Drug and crime issues in Barangay Bambang implicated the office of Mayor Sotto.

For years, Wing-An Construction had the bitter experience of having to deal with drug and crime issues in Barangay Bangbang. Engineer Selwyn Lao, president of the company, himself related their sad experience under the city administration of Sotto.

“In January 2017, my company, Wing-An Construction, relocated its equipment depot and construction yard from Manila to Pasig City.The property we occupied was owned by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. From the moment we transferred operations, we were immediately plagued by theft, pilferage and drug-related issues, primarily due to the presence of a squatter colony adjacent to our property wall that was known as a hotbed of criminal activity.

“Within three months of relocating, valuable equipment and materials were stolen from our site. We identified the culprits, all of whom had criminal or police records. Unfortunately, what was disturbing was the fact that the police referred to them as ‘assets’ which meant they were protected,” Lao said.

“For several years the following was the situation: a drug den was illegally built within our compound; there was intimidation, harassment, retaliation, arrests, illegal detention and murder of our employees. A blockade of our gate and the demolition of a guard house constituted an abuse of power by city officials,” he said.

1. On 13 November 2024, John J. Chiong, founder of Task Force Kasanag filed Case No. IC-OCnov-24-0723 against Pasig Mayor Victor Ma. Regis N. Sotto, Norman “Bong” Luis de Leon, Rolando Salazar, Mark Gil de los Santos, Roberto de la Vega, Allendri B. Angles and several John Does charging them with illegal detention, grave threats, illegal demolition and excessive fines for cutting permits before the Office of the Ombudsman.

2. The Office of the Ombudsman summarily dismissed the complaint, without hearing, submission of counter-affidavits, or undergoing any other process.

3. The Notice of Dismissal was a two-page letter signed by Caroline A. de Leon,

Chief, Central Records Division, without any supporting attachments, annexes or documents.

The dispositive portion of the dismissal of the formal complaint of Dr. John J. Chiong was as follows:

“Wherefore, it is most respectfully recommended that the subject complaint be dismissed outright for lack of palpable merit.

“Issued this seventh day of January 2025 at Quezon City, Philippines.

By Authority of the Ombudsman: Chief, Central Record Division”

Keen observers were quick to ask the question: Can the Ombudsman delegate his authority to dismiss a formal complaint against the mayor of Pasig City and other city officials to the chief of the central record division?

Does that not add insult to injury?