Like in his dynasty-ending bid in 2019, Pasig Mayor Vico Sotto on Wednesday said his campaign team would spend little for his reelection because he'd rather be branded stingy (kuripot) than a thief who squanders public funds.
Sotto was responding to his opponent, Vice Mayor Iyo Bernardo, who told ABS-CBN that the "quality of life in [their city] has not yet improved". The statement went viral among the young mayor's supporters.
The mayor thanked his supporters in a Twitter thread and appealed to them to not engage in dirty politics. Those who spend big while campaigning take as much from government coffers, he said.
"Ok lang tawagin akong kuripot, at least hindi magnanakaw. Ang importante, nagagamit sa tama at ng buo ang pera ng taumbayan," he said. Even during the campaign, work comes first, he said.
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He urged supporters to avoid mudslinging, be more discerning against fake news, and to be responsible in campaigning for him, whether it's in terms of convincing people to write his name on the ballot, or in abiding with Comelec rules, especially health protocols.
"Kapag may kaibigan tayong nakita niyo sa kabila, 'wag niyong pagalitan o takutin... Di ba kasama sa laban natin ang pag giba ng ganun klaseng politika?" he said.
He closed his thread by wishing Pasig and the entire Philippines a peaceful 2022 elections.
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