Vico Sotto refutes kickback claims on giveaway calendars; challenges 'trolls' to reflect on chosen job

MANILA -- Pasig Mayor Vico Sotto on Friday refuted claims that his office took kickbacks from the printing costs of the city's official calendars, saying that, in fact, his local administration saved Pasig millions of money in the process.

Social media posts had claimed that Sotto's office paid a whopping P36.7 million for the calendars' printing costs.

In response, Sotto said that the city saved more than P9 million, in fact, after paying only P4.9 million for the printing of the calendars. He also said the former Pasig administration paid more than P14.5 million for the previous official Pasig calendar.

Sotto slammed those behind the claims in social media.

"Sa mga gumagastos pa rin ng milyon-milyon para lang siraan ang bagong administrasyon ng Pasig... sige lang, para mabawasan naman ang yaman niyo," he said in a Facebook post, followed with a laughing emoji.

He also asked the supposed social media "trolls" spreading false claims to reflect on their chosen "occupation."

"Sa mga bayad nilang trolls, naiintidihan ko kayo, baka kailangan niyo lang ng trabaho. Pero sana mapag-isipan niyo nang mabuti, gusto niyo ba talagang maging instrumento ng kasinungalingang nakakasama sa ating lipunan?" he said.

Around 400,000 calendars will be distributed to Pasig City offices.