Peña seeks Makati’s top post, says it’s time to ‘slay Binay dragon of corruption’

SAYING it was time to slay the “Binay dragon of corruption,” acting Makati Mayor Romulo “Kid” Peña said that he would formally announce Monday his intention to run for the city’s top post.

“It’s time for the people of Makati to stand up, clean the city’s tarnished image and slay the Binay dragon of corruption [in] its very lair,” Peña said in a statement on Sunday.

His bid for the mayor’s post, according to Peña, meant that he was taking a stand on his belief “that it [was] high time to end the Binay family’s large-scale and high-level corruption from exactly where it began—Makati.”

As the city’s vice mayor, Peña took over in July when then Mayor Jejomar Erwin “Junjun” Binay Jr. was ordered suspended by the Ombudsman over allegations that the Makati Science High School Building was overpriced.

Last week, the Ombudsman perpetually disqualified Binay from holding office over the multibillion-peso Makati parking building, citing irregularities in the services and contract for the construction in several phases of the parking building.

Peña will also deliver his State of the City Address (Soca) at 9 a.m. today in the Makati City Coliseum.

He noted that he would be delivering his Soca before an estimated 5,000 individuals composed mostly of senior citizens, city government officials, employees and Makati residents “who stayed with me through the ups and downs of my private life and as a public servant.”

Makati information officer Gilbert delos Reyes said that Peña’s speech would touch mostly on the positive gains of his “young administration” and his future plans for the city, its residents and stakeholders.

“He will also introduce his party mates who [will] comprise the ‘Bagong Makati’ slate,” Delos Reyes added.

Peña is also expected to lead an anticorruption rally from the Makati Coliseum to the Commission on Elections Makati office on Malugay Street corner Ayala Avenue extension where he and his slate will file their certificates of candidacy.

Despite the decision of Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales barring Binay from holding any public office, his family said he intended to run again for mayor.

In an interview last week, Binay’s sister, Sen. Nancy Binay, said he would be filing his certificate of candidacy this week.

“Until there is a final judgment, Mayor Junjun Binay can still run… the order will not stop the mayor from running for reelection in 2016 for him to serve again the people of Makati,” said Joey Salgado, Binay’s spokesperson for media affairs (related story:‘Junjun Binay can still run for office’).

And should her brother be barred from running, Rep. Abigail Binay said she was ready to step in and run in his stead.