Peña: I’m still acting mayor of Makati

Makati Vice Mayor Romulo “Kid” Peña Jr. NIÑO JESUS ORBETA/INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Vice Mayor Romulo “Kid” Peña said on Tuesday he would continue to perform his duties as acting mayor of Makati City, saying he has not received any directive from the Department of Interior and Local Governments to stop doing so.

“It still stands as of today, I am still the acting mayor,” Peña told the Philippine Daily Inquirer in a text message.

Peña was not in his office on the 20th floor of the Makati City Hall building nor was he at his residence or the headquarters of his motorbike group “Tropang Kid” on D. Oliman Street in Brgy. Valenzuela when the Inquirer tried to locate him.

He claimed that he made the rounds in the second district of Makati the whole day aboard his motorbike and attended the funerals of some Makati residents requesting motorbike escorts.

“I do not usually go to the City Hall. I’m always out and making rounds with my motorbike group, distributing medicines and extending assistance to various barangays,” he explained in an earlier interview.

Aside from doing his daily duties as an official of the city, Pena said he was also “instructed to go below radar today.”

“I was told other concerned agencies will hold press conferences today about the matter,” Peña added.

Asked about the refusal of the policemen barricading the City Hall to leave despite the temporary restraining order (TRO) on the suspension of Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay, Peña said these policemen have also not received any directive from the DILG to leave the area.

Binay said in a press conference on Tuesday that Peña never became the mayor of the city even for a few hours. He claimed that his tenure as city mayor was never cut pending the issuance of a TRO.

To prove his point, Binay met with city department heads on Tuesday morning to get updates on the resumption of the services in the city.

After his oath-taking ceremony at the Museo ng Makati in Brgy. Poblacion on Monday, Peña said that his first order for the day was to meet with department heads but it never happened as the TRO was already issued by the Court of Appeals a few hours later.

Asked if he would still meet with the department heads of the city, Peña said that he would “as soon as things are cleared out with DILG and the Department of Justice.”

He added that he would continue to prioritize improving the benefits enjoyed by the residents of Makati as acting mayor.

“There is still a lot of room for improvement in terms of the benefits in the city,” Peña added.

Aside from this priority, Peña said he would focus on improving the city first and set aside for a while the sisterhood cities.

Regarding corruption issues in the local government unit, Peña said he would do what he could to eliminate or at least minimize it.

“I’m not saying Makati does not have order but I’m up for cleansing,” he added.

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