The Manila Times
MANILA, Philippines — Pasig Mayor Vico Sotto on Monday said two city government employees were placed under preventive suspension over alleged solicitation from contractors and fixing activities, as he intensified his anti-corruption campaign to include lower levels of the bureaucracy. Sotto said the suspensions reflected the city’s continuing effort to change what he described as deeply rooted corruption practices in government that had long been tolerated or considered normal. One of the suspended employees was from the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO), who was allegedly caught soliciting from a contractor connected to the office. Sotto said practices such as asking contractors for birthday or Christmas party contributions may have been treated casually in government before, but stressed these should not be tolerated, especially when public contracts are involved. “This is something that may have become a habit in government, like it’s nothing serious, that it’s not bribery anyway, or the contract was already awarded so maybe it’s okay to ask for birthday money or Christmas party contributions,” Sotto said. He noted that Pasig City had prohibited contractors from giving contributions to City Hall events and activities shortly after he assumed office in 2019. Another suspended employee from the City Treasurer’s Department allegedly admitted to acting as a fixer for clients, according to the mayor. Sotto said both employees were only under preventive suspension pending administrative proceedings, adding that the cases would still undergo hearings before authorities determine whether they should face heavier penalties, including dismissal from service. The mayor also revealed that personnel from the city’s legal department were under investigation, although he declined to provide details because proceedings were ongoing. Sotto linked the suspensions to the broader reform campaign his administration has pursued since 2019, saying efforts initially focused on procurement systems and operations inside City Hall before expanding toward the village level during his third term. He said investigations involving some village officials were also ongoing before the Pasig City Council’s Blue Ribbon Committee, with preventive suspensions imposed to prevent possible interference with witnesses or evidence. Without naming specific officials, Sotto pointed to alleged cases involving questionable handling of public funds at the village level, including advance releases of community development funds and reports of funds allegedly being used for personal expenses. “It cannot continue that public funds are handled this way for life,” he said. The mayor acknowledged that pursuing administrative cases against government workers and officials could be personally difficult, especially when some involved individuals were known to him, but said reforms would fail if violations continued to be tolerated. He also urged residents to continue reporting irregularities involving public funds while remaining fair in recognizing officials who perform their duties properly.
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