Roxas to Mayor Binay: No one is above the law

MANILA, Philippines—Interior Secretary Mar Roxas on Thursday reminded Makati Mayor Junjun Binay and other local officials that they should follow the suspension order of the Office of the Ombudsman.

“Ang batas ay batas, at lahat tayo ay sakop ng batas (The law is the law, and all of us are covered by the law),” Roxas said in a statement.

The mayor has repeatedly insisted that he would not leave city hall and let President Benigno Aquino III’s Liberal Party control Makati City.

READ: Junjun Binay not leaving Makati City Hall, vows to resist LP takeover | Suspended Makati mayor Binay defiant, digs in

Roxas assured the public that the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) would implement the order of the Ombudsman in a way that is proper, professional and fair.

“Ang Ombudsman ang nagdesisyon na may sapat na ebidensya para sa pagsuspinde kay Mayor Binay. Wala tayong lahat magagawa kundi ito ay respetuhin at ang DILG naman ay napag-utusan lang ng mga husgado na ipatupad ang batas dahil kabahagi yan ang trabaho ng ahensya (The Ombudsman decided that there is enough evidence for the suspension of Mayor Binay. We cannot do anything but respect that and the DILG was only ordered by the court to implement the law because this is part of the agency’s task),” he said.

Binay and 20 others were ordered suspended by the Ombudsman for six months without pay because of charges of graft, malversation and falsification of documents in relation to the alleged overpriced Makati parking building.

Roxas said that despite the suspension, the DILG would ensure that the city government of Makati would continue to provide services to the residents.

He said Binay was indeed in a difficult situation but the only advice he could give the embattled mayor was to ready his defense.

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