Mayor Binay holes up in Makati City Hall over TRO issue

Supporters of Makati City Mayor Junjun Binay gather at the Makati City Hall quadrangle Monday night after questions were raised on the effectivity of the temporary restraining order (TRO) issued by the Court of Appeals on the suspension of Makati Mayor Junjun Binay, which was issued after the interior department served the Ombudsman’s suspension order against the mayor. INQUIRER PHOTO/RICHARD A. REYES

MANILA, Philippines–Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin Junjun Binay stayed on inside his office at the Makati City Hall while his supporters returned to their vigil at the city government quadrangle on Monday night as questions were raised on whether a Court of Appeals’ temporary restraining order could actually stop the enforcement of his suspension over administrative charges.

Live updates by television and radio news as of late Monday night said Binay decided to stay overnight at the City Hall as he and his lawyers realized that the Department of Interior and Local Governments had no intention of observing the appellate court’s TRO on his suspension.

His supporters have returned to the Makati City quadrangle in full force, prompting policemen deployed to the city to raise their guard anew.

The DILG has insisted that it was able to serve the suspension order on Mayor Binay Monday morning, paving the way for the oath-taking of Makati vice mayor Romulo “Kid” Pena as acting mayor. It stressed that with the suspension already in force, the court TRO has become moot and academic. Binay insisted that Pena’s takeover was invalid as the Court of Appeals had already taken jurisdiction of the case.

The Office of the Ombudsman ordered the six-month preventive suspension of Binay and 21 other Makati City officials on administrative charges related to alleged irregularities and anomalies in the construction of the Makati City Hall II project.–With reports from Richard Reyes