Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto has urged the public to stop glorifying the lavish lifestyles of politicians’ relatives and contractors connected to the alleged anomalous flood control projects, stressing that corruption has become dangerously normalized in the country.
“Ang hirap ano kasi wala namang masamang maging mayaman kung galing ’yan sa maayos na paraan, kung pinaghirapan ’yan wala namang masama. Of course, as public officials we have the code of ethics […],” Sotto said in an exclusive interview with ABS-CBN News.
“Pero siguro ’yong nakita talaga nating connected sa kontraktor, sila naman nag-post no’n online, ’di ba? So, bigyan natin sila ng atensyon kung gusto nila.”
He added that such displays should no longer be viewed as admirable. “Kailangan nga pansinin natin ’yung mga ganoong kuwento, mga ganoong pagkakataon. Gawin natin siyang hindi normal at gawin natin siyang hindi nakaka-inspire.”
Sotto lamented how corruption has been tolerated through the years. “I think, unfortunately, through the years, that’s really what happened. It’s become accepted, naging katanggap-tanggap siya sa ating lahat. If we want to fix this, kailangan aminin natin na at some level, all of us are guilty here. Hindi ibig sabihin na may natanggap tayo, pero ibig sabihin at some point, hinayaan natin. Pumayag tayo.”
“I think that is the first step: to challenge that system, challenge that culture, basagin natin ’yun,” he added.
The mayor underscored that wealth in itself is not the issue, but the source and intention behind flaunting it. “Wala namang masama maging mayaman kung galing ’yan sa maayos na paraan, pinaghirapan mo o pinaghirapan ng pamilya mo ’yan, wala namang masama.”
“I guess with everything that is happening now, I think it’s all for the better. Napapaisip na tayo ngayon. Kapag may nakita na tayo na pinagmamalaki ’yung travels, luxury cars, sa yate nagpa-party, mapapaisip na tayo. Kasi ako marami naman akong kakilalang mayayaman, may malalaking negosyo pero hindi naman gano’n.”
He ended with a pointed reminder: “Kailangan maging nakakadiri ’yung korapsyon. Kailangan hindi siya maging katanggap-tanggap.”
