Junjun Binay warns: Second wave of suspensions coming

MANILA, Philippines – Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay Jr said on Friday, March 13, that the attempt to remove him from office is only the first phase of plans to institute their political rivals in power.

Citing reports from their sources, Binay said that the suspension order issued by the Ombudsman against him is only the first of a series of political attacks.

“The plan is to file a series of cases to probably eliminate the whole council and put a caretaker officer in charge,” Binay said. 

He added, “They want to suspend me so I won’t be able to complete my term until 2016. In the supposed second wave of suspensions, according to our sources, they intend to suspend all the councilors who were also elected by the people of Makati.”

The Makati mayor noted that this seemed to be their rivals’ preferred “template” for removing them from power. He pointed out that the same thing happened to his father, Vice President Jejomar Binay, when he was city mayor.

In 2006, the elder Binay barricaded himself in the city hall and refused to step down after the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) issued a two-month suspension order against him, then Vice Mayor Ernesto Mercado, and members of the city council over allegations the city government was maintaining “ghost employees.”

The 3-day standoff with authorities ended after the Court of Appeals (CA) issued a temporary restraining order (TRO), followed by an injunction order that stopped the enforcement of the suspension order.

On Wednesday, March 11, the Ombudsman ordered the 6-month preventive suspension of the Makati mayor and other city officials over complaints of irregularities in the awarding of a contract for the construction of the allegedly overpriced Makati City Hall Parking Building. (READ: ‘Guilt strong’ vs Junjun Binay – Ombudsman)

Binay, however, immediately filed a petition asking the CA to issue a TRO. His petition has been raffled off to the CA’s Sixth Division.

He and his lawyers have maintained that they will not leave the city hall until the court has decided on their petition.

He also hit the attempt to remove him from office as a “disservice” to the Makati voters who elected him as mayor.

The Ombudsman has directed the DILG, led by Secretary Manuel Roxas II – the elder Binay’s perceived rival in the 2016 presidential polls – to enforce the order.

Binay’s camp said they were expecting the order to be implemented on Friday.

‘Avoid confrontation’

Since the Ombudsman ordered his suspension, Binay has spent two nights inside the city hall, as hundreds also crowded outside the city hall quadrangle in a show of support.

On Friday, the city hall’s main entrance was closed. Dozens of the mayor’s supporters occupied the ground floor. Security inside the premises was tight, with personnel even guarding the fire exit leading up to the mayor’s office on the 21st floor.

Scheduled hearings at the Makati courts have been postponed, although it’s business as usual for the other offices inside the building.

In a press briefing, Binay apologized for the inconvenience, but added that they would like to prevent anyone from getting hurt due to the large numbers of people in the city hall premises.

He also said that should the DILG decide to implement the suspension order, the Philippine National Police (PNP) will inform the mayor beforehand.

“The plan is to avoid any confrontation. The PNP have been coordinating with us. Kung i-implement na ang order, they will tell us beforehand dahil ayaw natin magkaguluhan,” he said. – Rappler.com