Sotto: Woman who defied city hall not my kin

MANILA, Philippines - Sen. Tito Sotto and the entire Sotto clan denied Thusday being related to a woman who defied a Parañaque City government order to remove a basketball goal along Bernabe street in Greenheights Village.

“Not our kin! Not even know who that is. If ever, we will never tolerate,” the senator said in a tweet to The STAR.

He was reacting to a STAR report that Marisa Sotto defied orders from the city government, barangay officials and the homeowners’ association to remove the basketball goal, which she had reportedly set up on the street outside her home.

Sotto’s nephew, Parañaque Councilor Wahoo Sotto, said their “clan will not tolerate such action. We are urging the public to report anyone name-dropping our clan,” he told The STAR in an interview.

Wahoo, who is running for reelection, said his office will coordinate with the barangay to ensure that the woman complies with the city hall order. 

Meanwhile, the city engineer’s office reported that the basketball goal has been removed from the street Thursday morning and transferred to the garden of the woman’s house.

Fernando Soriano, city administrator, clarified the city government’s demolition order remains in effect and they will immediately deal with any attempt to return the basketball goal to the street.

“The city engineer’s office has orders to confiscate the illegal structure if it is again erected on the street,” he said.