Respect CA ruling, stop ‘quasi martial law’ in Makati, Mayor Binay urges Roxas
One day after the Court of Appeals (CA) issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) that stopped the suspension of Makati City Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay Jr., the situation around the city hall remains tense as policemen in full battle gear and brandishing armalites continue to surround the city’s seat of power.
With the current situation, Mayor Binay slammed Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas and held him responsible for creating this tension around the city hall. He also called on Roxas to stop the “quasi martial law” and urged him instead to respect the CA ruling.
“Everything is normal but
it’s as if there is quasi-martial law in the city,” said Binay, citing that business is now as usual inside the city hall but the unnecessary deployment of policemen in full battle gear around the seat of power continues to create tension.
Despite the TRO, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) insisted that Vice Mayor Romulo “Kid” Pena is currently the acting mayor of the city as he was already sworn into office last Monday after the Ombudsman’s suspension order was served on Mayor Binay.
However, Mayor Binay said Peña’s oathtaking was a “defiance not only of the court’s ruling but also of the Makati citizens’ will.”
As far as the embattled mayor is concerned, the DILG acted in bad faith when it had Peña sworn in without waiting for the court verdict.
“Hindi naputol ang pagka- mayor ko. Hindi siya (Pena) naging mayor ng Makati (My tenure as mayor was never cut and Peña never acted as mayor). I was elected by the people of Makati, we cannot allow the interest of the few here,” said Mayor Binay.
Binay said the DILG must consult the Office of the Ombudsman and not interpret the law, saying Roxas “has no right to interpret the law.”
He even pointed out that the DILG should be supportive of the local government and not to antagonize it.
Mayor Binay also assailed Senior Superintendent Elmer Jamias, Southern Police District deputy director for administration and PNP ground commander in Makati, for recognizing Peña and not him as the city mayor.
“I believe he is getting orders from the Secretary (Roxas),” Binay said.
He said the presence of armed policemen, including Special Action Force (SAF) commandos, is sowing fear in the city hall.
“We sympathize with them. Police are being used by some people for their political agenda. Police should be for the people,” said the mayor.
Binay said he will continue to sign documents so operations at the city hall will not be hampered.
“Under the rule of law, I am the mayor of the city,” said Binay, adding that “there should be no confusion because the CA has ruled already.”
The embattled mayor also met the department heads of various offices to restore order in city hall’s operations.
He said he will remain at the city hall and “will not turn my back from my people.”
“I have not been nurturing my children. I am willing to make that sacrifice for the people of Makati,” he said.
Binay reiterated that the order preventively suspending him and several others in connection with the charges over alleged overpricing of the Makati City Hall Building II is “void.”