MANILA, Philippines – Another Binay is now seated at the Makati city hall.

First-term Makati Mayor Abigail Binay took her oath of office on Monday, June 27, in the presence of her father, outgoing Vice President Jejomar Binay, in his office at the Coconut Palace.

Supreme Court Associate Justice Diosdado Peralta administered the oath of office of Abby, the 4th Binay to become Makati chief executive.

The event was attended by her husband Luis Campos, who won as Makati 2nd district representative in the May polls, and their daughter Martina.

Other guests include Abby’s mother Elenita, her siblings Senator Nancy, dismissed Makati Mayor Junjun, and Anne, as well as Binay family lawyer Claro Certeza.

Abby’s oath taking was held amid an electoral fraud protest filed before the Commission on Elections (Comelec) by defeated Makati mayoral bet Romulo “Kid” Peña Jr. 

The Comelec proclaimed Abby as the winner in the Makati race in the early hours of May 10. She got 160,320 votes against Peña’s 142,257. The 3rd candidate, art director Jimmy Jumawan, got 1,823 votes. 

Peña accuses Abby of “massive vote buying.” Abby has filed a counter-protest before the poll body, saying Peña “miserably failed” to prove his allegations against her. 

Family stronghold

Makati City has been the stronghold of the Binay family since 1986, when VP Binay first became officer-in-charge of the country’s premier business district. 

He was elected as mayor in the 1988 elections and won the succeeding local races in Makati. 

VP’s Binay wife Elenita also held the position from 1998 to 2001, and their son Jejomer Erwin or Junjun won as mayor in the 2010 and 2013 elections.

He was not able to complete his second term, however, after the Office of the Ombudsman dismissed and perpetually barred him from holding public office over the alleged overpricing of the Makati City Hall Parking Building II.

Junjun and several former city hall officials are now facing criminal charges before the anti-graft court Sandiganbayan.

Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales said they found probable cause to file charges against VP Binay as well, which she said they plan to file once his term as VP ends on Thursday, June 30. – Rappler.com