Mar Roxas ‘happy’ Junjun Binay vacated office

Interior Secretary Mar Roxas. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

Interior Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas is “happy” that Makati Mayor Junjun Binay finally respected the law and vacated his post.

“Masaya akong nanaig at nangibabaw ang batas sa araw na ito,” (I am happy that the law prevailed today) Roxas said in a statement on Wednesday.

He then thanked the mayor for heeding the call for him to obey the law.

The interior secretary then addressed Makati residents, telling them that they could expect operations at the Makati City Hall, which was interrupted during the two-day standoff, to go back to normal.

“Magpapatuloy na ang pagbibigay ng serbisyo sa mamamayan ng Makati,” (The delivery of services to the citizens of Makati can now continue) he said.

Roxas issued the statement at Philippine School of Business and the Arts campus in Quezon City, where he attended the signing of a circular directing local government units to include youth representatives in disaster management and risk reduction councils nationwide.

The son of Vice President Jejomar Binay left his post on Wednesday pending the decision of the Court of Appeal on the temporary restraining order on his second suspension issued by the Ombudsman on Monday.

The younger Binay defied the suspension order of the Ombudsman and holed up in his office at the Makati City Hall for two days. A violent standoff ensued when the Vice President attempted to drive away police forces detailed at the city hall complex to prevent thousands of Binay supporters from entering the building.

Mayor Binay and 14 city officials were ordered suspended for their alleged participation in the overpriced Makati City Science High School building worth P1.3 billion.