The “traditional politicians” or “trapos” are behind the graft case recently filed against him over the sale of Divisoria Public Market, Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso said.

The Divisoria Public Market Credit Cooperative earlier filed a case against Domagoso, Manila Vice Mayor Honey Lacuna, Councilors Joel Chua and Ernesto Isip Jr., and two other city hall officials for selling the Divisoria Public Market.

“Good luck, eh ‘yun naman ay mga traditional politician eh. Alam ng tao ‘yun. Basang-basa sa Maynila ‘yun. Hindi nila mato-tolongges ang mga taga Maynila, (those people are traditional politicians. The people of Manila know that. They cannot fool the people of Manila) and I wish them good luck,” Domagoso said.

“Matatanda na sila, alam na nila ang tama at mali. Kakatapos lang ng Semana Santa. Ano sabi ni Jesus?: Ama, patawarin mo sila, hindi nila alam ang kanilang ginagawa (They are old already, they know what is right and wrong. Holy Week has just passed. What did Jesus say? He said, 'Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing),” he added.

In a complaint filed before the Office of the Ombudsman dated April 27, the complainants said “ the defendants should be held accountable for its arrogance and hoarding of power, abuse, unauthorized sale of a cultural heritage, and favoring a private holding corporation, with 40 percent Chinese ownership.” “The public officials involved in this case have entered into on behalf of the Government, a contract or transaction that is openly and highly undesirable, to the general public, with the vendors of the public market in the Divisoria Public Market, and removed our next generation of priceless heritage,” it read.

Lacuna earlier clarified that the Divisoria Public Market has long not been managed by the city government since 1992.

She said the city’s former mayor, Mel Lopez, entered into an agreement with private company Linkworld Corporation, handing over to the firm the management of the land, along with the Divisoria Public Market.