JunJun Binay asks CA to cite Ombudsman Morales, De Lima for contempt

Makati Mayor JunJun Binay delivers his speech at the Makati City Hall after Ombudsman issued suspension order against him and 22 other Makati City staff (PNA photo)

MANILA  — The camp of Makati City Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay Jr. asked the Court of Appeals (CA) on Thursday to cite for contempt Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales and Justice Secretary Leila M. De Lima.

According to Atty. Patricia Alvarez, counsel of Binay, they already filed an amended and supplemental petition for contempt to include the Ombudsman and Secretary De Lima.

The latest petition was filed following the statements of Morales and De Lima that the temporary restraining order (TRO) issued by the CA’s Sixth Division against the suspension order imposed by the Ombudsman against Binay and 22 others last Monday was already “moot and academic” because the “joint order” by the Ombudsman had been served even before the said TRO was issued.

The six-month preventive suspension without pay against Binay and the 22 others was in connection with the plunder and graft cases pending before the Ombudsman for the alleged “overpriced” construction of the Makati City Hall Building II.

The camp of Binay earlier asked the CA to cite for contempt Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II, National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Director Carmelo Valmoria and Makati City Vice Mayor Romulo “Kid” Pena for allegedly defying the 60-day TRO issued by the CA.