Mayor Vico Sotto files election cases against Sarah Discaya.
Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto filed a complaint before the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) against detained contractor Sarah Discaya.
Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto has formally filed a complaint before the Commission on Elections on Thursday, February 19, against former mayoral candidate and embattled contractor Sarah Discaya. He accused her of overspending and perjury during the 2025 electoral campaign period.
He personally filed the complaint before the Political Finance and Affairs Department of COMELEC and was accompanied by his election lawyer, Atty. Romulo Macalintal.
“Kapag binasa niyo po yung SOCE niya, nasa humigit kumulang P800,000 lang ang kanyang declared expenditures,” Sotto told reporters.
In the complaint-affidavit given to reporters, Sotto claimed that Discaya’s Statement of Contributions and Expenditures—the financial report candidates must file after elections—contained false information and left out major campaign expenses.
He added, “Nakita ninyo naman lahat kung ano yung ginawa nila noong campaign. Kayo na po ang maghusga kung yun lang talaga ang ginastos nila…Hindi makatotohanan ang kanyang SOCE. Malinaw na malinaw po yun.”
To recall, Sotto and Discaya were rivals in the last elections. The latter lost to Sotto by more than 320,000 votes. Based on her SOCE, she declared a total campaign spending of only PHP 895,000.00.
She declared only expenses for stationery, printing, and the distribution of campaign materials, allegedly failing to include costs for large billboards and digital campaign videos she used during the race.
Under Section 13 of Republic Act No. 7166, a candidate for mayor is allowed to spend PHP 3.00 per registered voter if affiliated with a political party, or PHP 5.00 if without party affiliation.
According to Sotto, this move is a reminder to people and those planning to run to abide by the law. With the barangay elections approaching, he hopes that this may serve as a message to those who want to be barangay officials to follow the law, and the same goes for the 2028 aspirants.
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