Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto has resigned as a member of the political party Aksyon Demokratiko.
In his resignation letter dated June 30 but was only made public on Wednesday, Sotto cited political differences as reason for leaving the group.
“I joined Aksyon Demokratiko in 2018, in search of a reform-oriented political party that stood for principled politics and inclusive governance,” he said.
“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,” Sotto added.
He said the differences “defeats the purpose” of being part of a party.
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.
— Vico Sotto (@VicoSotto) November 2, 2022
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
The Pasig Mayor clarified that his resignation was not about "any particular person or candidate."
Sotto ran and won the mayoralty position under the banner of Aksyon Demokratiko in the 2019 and 2022 national and local polls.
“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 said.
"I will always be grateful for the opportunity to share in Aksyon Demokratiko's advocacies. I wish the party and its members continued success," Sotto added.
Aksyon Demokratiko is one of the major political parties in the country. It was founded by former senator and former education secretary Raul Roco.
Former Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso Moreno currently leads as the party’s president.
