Vico faces cyber libel rap

MANILA, Philippines — Pasig Vice Mayor Iyo Caruncho Bernardo yesterday filed a cyber libel complaint against Mayor Vico Sotto over an incident in January wherein the local chief executive told Bernardo to do his job first before criticizing the city government’s performance.

Bernardo lodged the complaint before the Pasig prosecutor’s office at around 2 p.m.

He told reporters his complaint is based on Sotto’s pronouncement at a flag-raising ceremony last Jan 10.

In the event, Sotto said Bernardo should stop skipping meetings and should respond to his phone calls and text messages.

For Bernardo, Sotto should not have used the activity for politics and to question his work as the city’s vice mayor.

“Ang flag ceremony ginagamit ito para pasalamatan ang mga empleyado (The flag ceremony, it’s used to thank employees),” Bernardo said in an interview clip uploaded on Pasig News Today.

Bernardo’s lawyer, Ramon Gerald Hernandez, declined to give journalists copies of their complaint against Sotto.

Sotto has yet to respond to the case filed by Bernardo, who is his opponent for mayor in the May elections.