MANILA – Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin “Junjun” Binay received his second suspension order on Tuesday in connection with corruption allegations against him and his family. Makati Vice Mayor Romulo “Kid” Peña, for his part, took an oath anew as the acting Makati City mayor.
Peña was then mandated as the acting mayor for the second time in about four months. Binay received his first suspension order in March but was able to secure a temporary restraining order in April, stopping the preventive suspension.
During Binay’s former suspension, his supporters rallied against the police. Peña, however, asked Binay to listen to the ‘will of the people’ and asked his supporters not to cause any trouble.
“Sundin po sana natin ang kagustuhan ng taumbayan (I hope that we yield to the will of the people),” Peña earlier said.
“Pasensya na po kayo, sana po ang iba sa inyo ay magsi-uwian na, lalong lalo na po ‘yung mga hindi taga Makati na wala naman pong kinalaman dito… Maraming salamat po sa pagpunta at kung maari ‘wag po tayong magsimula ng kaguluhan,” he added.
(I apologize. I hope some of you would go home already, especially those who are not residents of Makati and have no relations here… Thank you for coming and if possible, let us not cause any trouble.)
Peña’s supporters, on the other hand, also rallied and carried placards with words ‘We support Mayor Kid Peña’ and ‘Pagbabago sa Makati, Ngayon Na!’ (Change in Makati, Begins Now!)
On Binay’s suspension anew, the defiant mayor still refused to acknowledge the order and remained in his office. His supporters also protested violently, pushing police barricades and even throwing monobloc chairs at them. According to a GMA News report, five civilians and three policemen were hurt from the protest.
Binay’s camp has again started considering legal actions to counter the suspension order.