By Perfecto T. Raymundo, Jr.
PASIG CITY — Engr. Selwyn Lao, of Wing-Am Construction and Development Corporation, on Saturday (Oct. 12) revealed the alleged attack and harassment committed by Mayor Vico Sotto.
In a press conference, Engr. Lao divulged the drug-related issues, attack and harassment allegedly made by Pasig City Mayor Victor Ma. Regis N. Sotto, more popularly known as Vico Sitto, and with his cohorts in the private property of Lao that went viral in the social media.
Lao showed the video of the heated altercation between him and Mayor Vico.
His family has agreed to open it to the public on what really happened three years ago and he would really show what really happened to them.
Lao said what will be the benefit if he goes with illegal activities.
He urged the media and the public to make their conclusion on what really happened to them.
The trouble started when Mayor Vico confronted Lao questioning his ownership of the land with the instigation of Volta, the alleged right hand man of Sotto.
Sotto claimed that Lao does not own the property which is an easement.
Lao said that Rogelio Babon, Jr. started the illegal drugs together with the 60 other workers of Lao.
He added that during the Covid-19 pandemic (2020-2022), a number of 100-HP electric machines, which is worth PHP100,000 each were stolen from his property.
Lao explained that the reason why there is difficulty in business in the Philippines it’s because of the alleged corruption in government.
He stressed that they have been denied their business permit for three years already.
Lao surmised that the City Government of Pasig should publicize that they don’t want business in Pasig due to harassment and attack on the business of Lao.
According to Atty. Manzanero, Lao said, there will be no settlement with Mayor Vico because “pinahiya mo talaga si Mayor Vico.”
Lao claimed that three warrants of arrest cases were filed against him by the City Government of Pasig which were all dismissed. He was only convicted in the administrative case and was penalized with a fine of PHP10,000 for five counts equivalent to PHP50,000.
If Mayor Vico gave Babon the amount of PHP10,000, Lao said, all the poor Pasiguenos should also be given PHP10,000 each as well.
He cited that the lot property in Corinthian Garden costs PHP10,000 per square meter, Shangri-La costs PHP70,000 per square meter and the new Pasig City Hall complex costs PHP9.6 billion or PHP200,000 per square meter.
Babon, whom Lao said organized the illegal drug den, allegedly admitted to Lao that Atty. Manzanero ordered the filing of a criminal case against Lao.
Babon has already been out of work from Lao, when the illegal drug den was demolished by Lao.
July 18 when Chairman JR Samson together with Barangay officials confronted Lao, who has no police power,
Kagawad Dela Vega allegedly sold illegal drugs to the workers of Lao.
Three labor cases were filed against Lao by his three dismissed workers.
According to Lao, his workers were holding pot session while posting on Facebook.
Volta, the alleged right hand man of Mayor Vico, Chairman Samson, Lao had agreed to bring up the problem with Mayor Sotto.
The Ombudsman cases against Sotto were filed by Task Force Kasanag in November 2023 and March 2024, which for Lao, has nothing to do with the May 12, 2025 midterm elections.
Most of the information gathered by Lao came from PDEA.
All the documents submitted by Engr. Lao, a registered civil engineer, foundation engineer and sanitary engineer, were rejected by the City Hall, hence, there’s no reason for the conduct of inspection on his construction company for the past three years.
The property was purchased from the Central Bank, and yet only Engr. Lao was convicted and not the corporation.
Unsolicited proposal and public bidding are two different things in so far as the alleged overpriced PHP9.6-billion Pasig City Hall complex, which for Lao would only amount to PHP2 billion to PHP3 billion only.