Mayor Binay: Kid Peña takeover ‘grand plan’ of Liberal Party
Makati Mayor Junjun Binay (left) says Vice Mayor Kid Peña’s takeover of the city leadership is the “grand plan” of the ruling Liberal Party. RICHARD A. REYES/INQUIRER PHOTOS
Embattled Makati City Mayor Jejomar Erwin “Junjun” Binay says Liberal Party has a hand in the current standoff in the city leadership.
Following the oath-taking of Vice Mayor Romulo “Kid” Peña on Tuesday morning, Binay said taking over the city leadership was the “grand plan” of the administration party.
“We have seen this before. This is the grand plan of the Liberal Party. Vice Mayor [Romulo] Pena is a member of the Liberal Party. And who is the candidate vying for the presidency [in 2016]? Isn’t it [Interior Secretary] Mar Roxas?” Binay said.
Roxas is the head of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), the government agency which also oversees the Philippine National Police (PNP).
The DILG was tasked to serve the suspension order against Binay, the second of its kind filed this year.
Binay, meanwhile, asked the government to give the Court of Appeals a few days to decide on their appeal which they filed on Tuesday morning.
“Come to think of it, it has only been four months [since the first suspension order was issued.] In the history of all government officials in the country, I am the only mayor in the Philippines that was ordered suspended in less than a year,” he said.
He slammed the Aquino government for targeting the opposition, saying administration allies would never be subjected to the circumstances they were placed in.
Binay said they were expecting to be at the losing end of the case.
The second suspension order against Binay is related to the alleged anomalous construction of the Makati City Science High School building.
On its part, Malacañang has denied hand in the mayor’s suspension, saying it is part of the implementation of the law.
“The law must be followed because we are a government of laws, not of men,” Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma said.
