Makati councilors skip Peña’s first flag ceremony as acting mayor

MANILA, Philippines – All 17 members of Makati’s city council skipped the flag raising ceremony at city hall on Monday, July 13, the first time Romulo Peña led it as acting mayor since Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay Jr was preventively suspended by the Ombudsman.

Asked if the no-show was indicative of the council’s resistance to Peña’s leadership and his proposed reforms, Councilor Marie Alethea Casal Uy said they are ready to stand behind proposals that would benefit Makati residents.

But she drew the line at what she considered publicity attempts.

“If the reforms are really for the good of the people, why not? But if it’s just for PR, I don’t think that’s right anymore,” she said.

She added: “The reforms should be in accordance with the law and the city’s budget. We don’t want to be put in a place where we propose all these things but the council cannot follow through with it because we don’t have much money. We also think of other sectors.”

In a speech after Monday’s flag ceremony, Peña said he would ask the city council to approve his proposals increasing benefits for senior citizens and employees of the city.

Peña, a member of the ruling Liberal Party, was sworn in as acting mayor after the Ombudsman suspended Binay over an allegedly overpriced high school building.

Uy said Peña’s reform plans were not new. For instance, the proposal to increase benefits for senior citizens was already pending at the city council level, but was not passed because of the political tension in the city over Binay’s suspension.

Makati’s new acting vice mayor, Leonardo Magpantay, shared Uy’s view.

Magpantay was sworn in by Presiding Judge Ronaldo Moreno at Branch 147 of the Makati Regional Trial Court past 10 am on Monday.

“If it’s for the welfare of the majority of the people of Makati, why will we oppose it?” he said.

Asked why he was absent at the flag ceremony, Magpantay said he was preparing for his scheduled oath taking.

Uy, meanwhile, explained that council members “don’t regularly attend” the flag ceremony.

Still supporting Binay

The councilors’ support for the reforms, however, do not necessarily translate to support for Peña himself.

When asked if he supports the acting mayor, Magpantay merely replied: “Independent body po kami” (We are an independent body), referring to the city council.

He also repeatedly emphasized that the council will continue to function as a separate body from the executive branch.

“The office of the mayor is a separate body from Sangguniang Panlungsod. The council is an independent body. We create and approve resolutions and ordinances and appropriate funds. We are different,” he said.

Magpantay was also open about his continuing support for the suspended mayor, owing to their membership in the same party, the United Nationalist Alliance.

“We are in one party, but in our job, we are independent. We will do our duties for the welfare of Makati,” he said.

While they were no-shows during Monday’s flag rites, Magpantay and other city councilors were present during Binay’s birthday celebration last Saturday. The suspended mayor turned 38 on Sunday, July 12.

Binay “temporarily” stepped down from city hall on Wednesday morning, July 1, following the Court of Appeals decision to hold in abeyance its action on his petition for a temporary restraining order (TRO) on his suspension order. – Rappler.com