MANILA – The National Bureau of Investigation has summoned Mayor Vico Sotto of Pasig City to explain his supposed violation of the national government’s policy on the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine.
NBI deputy director Ferdinand Lavin said Thursday that Sotto violated a memorandum issued by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea when he allowed the continuous operation of tricycles in his city despite the ban on mass transport due to the enhanced community quarantine.
Lavin added that the memorandum signed by Medialdea came out on March 16 while Sotto committed the supposed violation on March 17 and 18, when the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine was already in place.
“Iyong letter of invitation, for Mayor Vico saka sa barangay chairman of Talon Uno. We are investigating for possible violation ‘nung memorandum ng Executive Secretary,” Lavin said in an interview with DZBB.
The NBI drew flak from Pasiguenos and netizens for urging Sotto to explain his possible violation even if the Pasig mayor has stopped the use of tricycles on March 19.
Lavin, however, said that Sotto is presently compliant with the mass transport ban which includes tricycles.
“Maliwanag po sa sulat na pinadala: Continuous tricycle operation. May hawak po iyong investigation division namin na may continuous tricycle operation na ipinatupad sa sinabing lugar,” Sotto said.
Meanwhile, the Department of Interior and Local Government has come into the defense of Sotto as they described the NBI’s action as a political distraction during this time of health crisis.
“This act of summoning the mayor of Pasig is a useless political distraction on at this time when all of us are preparing and all of us cooperate to beat the COVID-19 crisis that we are in,” DILG spokesman Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya told CNN Philippines.
As far as the DILG is concerned, Malaya said that the issue on the use of tricycles in Pasig City was already solved.
“There had been miscommunication and exchange of views between the DILG and Sotto before, but the mayor has already complied with the orders,” Malaya said. “The mayor of Pasig was already cooperative. No issue in so far as the DILG is concerned now.”/PN
