MANILA (UPDATE) - Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto on Monday said the local government has apprehended 2 "fixers" who have been illegally including people in the city's COVID-19 vaccination program.

The modus was allegedly to charge money from individuals who want to get ahead in the scheduling of COVID-19 vaccination.

Pasig City Mayor @VicoSotto says 2 fixers have been apprehended in the city for allowing individuals to get #COVID19 vaccines ahead of their respective schedules: “May dalawa na tayong nahuli pero alam kong mayroon pa. Good luck sa inyo kapag nahuli ko kayo.” pic.twitter.com/0AK0UGFlky

— Kat Domingo (@_katrinadomingo) June 28, 2021

"May nahuli na tayong 2 fixer. May formal complaint na ifa-file laban sa kanila. Bahala na sila. Good luck na lang sa kanila," Sotto said in a Facebook live video.

(We have apprehended 2 fixers. We are going to file a formal complaint against them. They're on their own. Good luck to them.)

"May dalawa na tayong nahuli pero alam kong mayroon pa. Good luck sa inyo kapag nahuli ko kayo," he said.

(We have apprehended 2 fixers, but I know there are still more. Good luck to you once I catch you.)

"Hindi naman tayo papayag ng ganoon. Nakapila ng maayos ang tao, ang tagal nag-antay ng schedule tapos magpapasingit kayo ng ganun-ganun lang tapos pagkakakitaan niyo pa? Hindi puwede 'yun," he said.

(We will not allow that. People line up for the vaccines, wait long for their schedules then you will just allow others to cut the line and profit from it? We can't allow that.)

Sotto said the city's legal team was studying what charges can be filed against the two while it was also looking for evidence against other fixers.

"Definitely itutuloy natin, sasampahan natin ng kaso ang dalawa," he told ABS-CBN's Teleradyo on Tuesday.

(Definitely we will proceed with charges against the two.)

"Dalawa lang po ang may ebidensiya kami. Naghahanap kami ng ebidensiya laban sa ibang fixer."

(We only have evidence against the two. We're still looking for evidence against other fixers.)

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Sotto has been admonishing special treatment given to select individuals in the city, especially in the COVID-19 vaccination program, noting that even his immediate family members were not entitled to VIP treatment.

• 'Walang palakasan': Vico Sotto says mom yet to receive COVID-19 jab from Pasig gov't

His mother, veteran actress Coney Reyes, was the 6,318th senior citizen in Pasig to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

• After going through protocol, Pasig Mayor's ma Coney Reyes vaccinated vs COVID-19

Sotto ascended to power in 2019, after defeating the decades-long rule of the Eusebio political dynasty in Pasig with his campaign on good governance in Metro Manila's 4th richest city.

Earlier this year, the US State Department named the 31-year-old mayor as one of the 12 anti-corruption champions in the world thanks to his administration's "anticorruption and transparency initiatives in their election campaigns and in office."

• Vico Sotto named 'anticorruption champion' by US State Department

So far, Pasig City has fully inoculated 50,000 people against COVID-19, while about 150,000 others have received their first dose.

The local government hopes to vaccinate at least 700,000 Pasigueños to attain herd immunity against COVID-19, which has infected at least 32,646 people in the city.

• LOOK: Pasig Mayor Vico Sotto gets 1st vaccine dose vs COVID-19

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