Binay camp digs at Peña: Why such haste on assuming mayoralty post?

By: Aries Joseph Hegina - 10 years ago

MANILA, Philippines — Enjoying victory on their battle against the suspension order filed by the Office of the Ombudsman, the camp of Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin “Junjun” Binay slammed Vice Mayor Romulo “Kid” Peña for assuming the post as acting city mayor despite their pending request for a temporary restraining order (TRO) before the Court of Appeals.

Atty. Claro Certeza, Binay’s counsel, said on Monday that Peña should have waited for the CA’s decision on their request for TRO before agreeing to assume the post of acting city mayor.

“They still proceeded despite our request. I said they should not rush it because the case is already with the Court of Appeals. Now they had Vice Mayor take an oath and a TRO was issued. This should have been avoided if only they waited a little bit, if only they listened to our request to wait for the resolution,” Certeza told reporters on Monday.

The lawyer said that Peña’s role as acting Makati City mayor is devoid of any legal basis.

“There is no basis for it because there is still a pending matter of our TRO,” he said.

On his part, Peña said that his camp will seek available legal remedies to counter the TRO granted by the CA.

Certeza welcomed the proposed move of the vice mayor, saying that they have the right to challenge the CA’s decision.

The Binay camp hopes that within the 60-day period covered by the TRO, the Court of Appeals can grant a preliminary injunction as the mayor’s case is being heard before the court.

Peña assumed the post of acting city mayor shortly after the Department of Interior and Local Government served the suspension order lodged against Binay and other city officials over corruption allegations on the construction of the Makati City Hall Building 2.