Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto claimed that his rival in the 2025 mayoral elections reportedly used a British passport this year, despite seeking public office.
The millennial mayor reelectionist shared this in a Facebook post about the petition filed against him by Pacifico “Curlee” Discaya II, the husband of Pasig City mayoral aspirant Sarah Discaya, on Monday, April 14.
Sotto said Curlee filed a “Petition for Disqualification” against him before the Commission on Elections (Comelec) over alleged misinformation regarding St. Timothy Construction.
St. Timothy Construction was a former contractor of Comelec that pulled out of a deal after the poll body issued an ultimatum in October 2024.
Documents from the Securities and Exchange Commission reportedly listed Sarah as an incorporator or co-founder.
The firm pulled out of the joint venture days after Sarah announced her mayoral bid.
Sotto, however, said the Comelec quickly dismissed the disqualification petition.
“Kung tutuusin, parang ako nga ‘yung may grounds for disqualification laban sa katunggali ko para mayor eh,” Sotto said in a Facebook post, referring to Sarah.
“Dahil ginamit niya pa diumano ang kanyang British Passport ngayong 2025 lamang,” he added.
“To affirm your British citizenship by using your UK [or] British passport AFTER filing your certificate of candidacy constitutes a continuing ‘act of allegiance’ to a foreign state, and is not allowed under Philippine election law,” Sotto added.
Sarah is running for Pasig City mayor in the 2025 midterm elections under her “Team Kaya This” slate.
Sotto shared that he was aware of Sarah’s use of a British passport for travel but chose not to file a disqualification petition, saying he did not want her camp to be disqualified from the elections.
“Kailangan ipakita natin sa kanila na sa Pasig, naputol na natin ang siklo ng malaking gastusan ‘pag eleksyon, traditional politics, at korapsyon,” the mayor said.
“I post about this because the people have a right to know the truth,” Sotto added.
Under British law, only individuals with British citizenship or another form of British nationality are eligible to apply for a British passport.
Holding a British passport grants the right to live, work, and study in the United Kingdom
Meanwhile, the Philippine embassy in Brussels, Belgium, said that individuals intending to run for public office in the Philippines must “make a personal and sworn renunciation of any and all foreign citizenship before any public officer” at the time of filing the certificate of candidacy (COC).
For the 2025 elections, the COC filing period was from Oct. 1 to 8, 2024.
“Those appointed to any public office shall subscribe and swear to an oath of allegiance to the Republic of the Philippines and its duly constituted authorities prior to their assumption of office: Provided, That they renounce their oath of allegiance to the country where they took that oath,” the embassy said.
Domestic voting for the 2025 elections will take place on May 12, when Filipinos will elect their next set of leaders midway through President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s term, while overseas voting commenced on Sunday, April 13.
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