Tito Sotto Defends Nephew Vico Sotto, Says Laws Are Not Applied Retroactively

Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto has come to the defense of his nephew, Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto, after the latter was summoned by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to answer to alleged violations in the Bayanihan to Heal As One Act—a law principally authored by Tito Sotto.

While NBI hasn’t stated the exact violation allegedly committed by Vico, the young mayor implied that it was his vocal disagreement with the section that forbids tricycle operations. On March 18, Vico argued that his city needed tricycles in operation to help frontliners and residents without cars, and appealed to the Department of the Interior and Local Governments (DILG) to allow tricycle use. On March 19, DILG rejected Vico’s plea, and the mayor accepted the decision.

The Bayanihan to Heal As One Act dictates the strict guidelines for enhanced community quarantine, one of which states that tricycles are not allowed as modes of transportation. The law was passed on March 24, and principally authored by Tito Sotto—and the senate president has a thing or two to say about the supposed retroactive application of the law he made. Mainly, that it’s not allowed.

In a tweet, Tito Sotto advised the NBI to be “cautious in their interpretation of the law.” And in three tweets, he emphasized that laws are never applied retroactively.

As per the NBI, Vico Sotto must send a written explanation for his “alleged violation” on April 7. But until then, it's back to work for Vico Sotto.