By Gabriela Baron
Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto has resigned from political party Aksyon Demokratiko, he announced on Wednesday, Nov. 2.
Sotto joined Aksyon Demokratiko in 2018. He won his first mayoral term under the party in 2019 and his reelection in 2022.
In his resignation letter dated June 30, Sotto said the party is ‘now headed towards and different direction’ and he believes that Aksyon Demokratiko is ‘no longer a group of individuals with similar political goals and ideals.’
Since I resigned from Aksyon Demokratiko last July, I never made any announcement. But since media has now reported it, here is my resignation letter.
I respected party decisions while I was a member, but for reasons stated in the letter, I decided to resign after the elections. pic.twitter.com/izXDooeoqI
— Vico Sotto (@VicoSotto) November 2, 2022
“For this reason, I have decided to resign as a member of Aksyon Demokratiko, effective immediately,” he noted.
Sotto also made it clear that he left the party not because of ‘any particular person or candidate.’
“I maintain the highest respect for the party’s leadership and members. It is, in part, because of this respect that I decided to delay my resignation until after the 2022 National and Local Elections,” 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.”
Founded by Raul Roco in 1997, Aksyon Demokratiko was first recognized as a national political party in 1998 by the Commission on Elections.