PASIG City Mayor Vico Sotto yesterday confirmed reports that he has resigned as executive vice president and member of the political party Aksyon Demokratiko because he no longer shares “similar political goals and ideals” with the party.
In a post in his Twitter page, Sotto said he resigned last July this year but did not make any announcements about it.
“I respected party decisions while I was a member, but for reasons stated in the letter, I decided to resign after the elections,” Sotto said in his post.
In his resignation letter, Sotto said: “I joined Aksyon Demokratiko in 2018 in search of a reform-oriented political party that stood for principled politics and inclusive governance…
Unfortunately, recent events have made it apparent that the party is now headed towards a different direction.”
“I believe that we are no longer a group of individuals with similar political goals and ideals.
To me, this defeats the purpose of being a member of a political party. For this reason, I have decided to resign as a member of Aksyon Demokratiko, effective immediately,” Sotto also said.
He added: “I will always be grateful for the opportunity to share in Aksyon Demokratiko’s advocacies. I wish the party and its members continued success.”
He likewise denied his resignation was prompted by any individual.
“To be clear, this is not about any particular person or candidate. I maintain the highest respect for the party’s leadership ad members. It is, in part, because of this respect that I decided to delay my resignation until after the 2022 National and Local Elections,” Sotto said.
Sotto jointed Aksyon Demokratiko in 2018. He ran and won his first and second mayoralty race under the banner of the party.
In the run-up to the national elections, Sotto and his party drew controversy on several occasions after the Pasig mayor refused to endorse any presidential candidate and skipped its general assembly where former Manila mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso was officially nominated as the party’s standard bearer.
In May, Aksyon Demokratiko’s vice presidential bet Willie Ong and the party’s senatorial candidates spent their second to the last campaign day in Pasig City but paid their courtesy call to a rival local candidate.
Aksyon Demokratiko said it is “saddened” by Sotto’s resignation but said he is welcome if he wants to return.
