Senator Vicente "Tito" Sotto III has strongly denied allegations that he received kickbacks from flood control projects, dismissing them as baseless, politically motivated, and part of what he called a "bogus hearing."
Sotto's Defense
In a statement, Sotto emphasized that he did not hold any position as a senator or government official between 2022 and 2025, the period when the alleged transactions supposedly took place. He also refuted claims that his former executive assistant, identified only as "Mark," was involved, stating that the person named by witnesses died in 2015.
Questioning Witness Credibility
Sotto questioned the credibility of the 18 individuals who presented themselves as "ex-marines" and claimed to have been bagmen for former lawmaker Zaldy Co. The veteran senator described the accusations as "clutching at straws" and the last-ditch effort of his political opponents to tarnish his name.
Context of the Hearing
Sotto made the clarification after his name was dragged into the Senate Blue Ribbon subcommittee hearing on Thursday, June 4, which investigated widespread anomalies in ghost flood control projects. Aside from Sotto, other prominent politicians were also implicated in the investigation, all of whom similarly expressed strong denial of the allegations.
