Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto on Thursday filed an election offense complaint before the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) against government contractor Sarah Discaya, accusing her of overspending in the May 2025 polls and submitting an allegedly false Statement of Contributions and Expenditures (SOCE).
Sotto said the complaint focuses on what he described as clear violations of election laws, citing Discaya’s declared campaign expenses of only ₱895,000 — a figure he claimed was inconsistent with the scale of her campaign activities.
“Pag binasa niyo po yung SOCE niya, nasa humigit kumulang 800,000 pesos lang ang kanyang declared expenditures. Nakita niyo naman lahat kung ano yung ginawa nila nung campaign. Kayo na po ang maghusga kung yun lang talaga ang ginastos nila,” Sotto told reporters after filing the case.
In his complaint-affidavit, Sotto alleged that Discaya mounted an extensive campaign that included large billboards, digital ads, caucuses with full lights and sound systems, and a major rally attended by well-known celebrities — expenditures he said could not plausibly amount to less than ₱1 million.
Under election rules, Discaya’s spending limit in Pasig was ₱1,391,655, computed at ₱3 per registered voter based on the city’s 463,885 voters.
Sotto cited a supposed violation of Section 100 of the Omnibus Election Code, in relation to Section 262, which penalizes candidates who exceed authorized campaign spending.
He also referenced Section 14 of Republic Act No. 7166, which requires candidates to submit a “full, true and itemized statement” of campaign contributions and expenditures.
The complaint noted that failure to file a truthful and complete SOCE may affect a candidate’s eligibility and that repeat violations could result in perpetual disqualification from public office.
Apart from the COMELEC case, Sotto said he filed a separate perjury complaint before the Pasig Prosecutor’s Office, alleging that Discaya misdeclared her citizenship status.
“Tapos kaninang umaga, mayroon din po kaming finile sa prosecutor ng Pasig para naman po sa perjury dahil sa kanyang misdeclarations tungkol sa kanyang citizenship dahil siya po’y British or dual citizen. Tapos sinabi niya na hindi,” he said.
Sotto also alleged that Discaya continued to use a foreign passport after filing her certificate of candidacy.
Discaya challenged Sotto in the 2025 mayoral race, but the incumbent won by a margin of more than 320,000 votes. Sotto had earlier flagged her alleged links to lucrative public works contracts.
Discaya is currently detained at the Lapu-Lapu City Jail in connection with an alleged ₱96.5-million “ghost” flood control project in Davao Occidental.