Binay camp dares Mar: Bring suspension order yourself

“Kung naniniwala ho si Secretary Roxas na tama ‘yong kanyang gagawin sa pag-serve nito [suspension order] ay magpakalalaki ho siya. Siya na ho ang mag-serve nito at wag niya hong iutos kung kani-kanino pa,” he said in an interview on ANC’s Headstart.

“Dahil kung sasabihin niyang susundin lang niya ang utos ng Ombudsman, sa last page po ng utos ng Ombudsman ang inaatasan ho na mag-serve ng suspension order, specified ho, hindi ho nakasulat Office of the Secretary. Nakasulat ho na ang dapat mag-serve doon ay si Secretary Mar Roxas.”

“So wag naman ho siyang magtago na naman dito,” the lawmaker explained.

Tiangco said Roxas’ office did not serve suspension orders against other mayors who were members of the Liberal Party (LP). He cited the case of Congressman Recom Echiverri who was also ordered suspended during his last term as mayor

“Siya ho ay Liberal Party member, nagkaroon ho ng suspension order sa kanya. Habang siya ho ay humihingi ng TRO [temporary restraining order] sa Court of Appeals (CA), hindi ho sinerve ‘yong suspension sa kanya.”

“Ang nangyari ho noon, dineny pa nga ng CA yung kanyang motion for TRO. Pero hindi pa rin sinerve yung kanyang suspension order.”

He said the same thing happened when the Ombudsman ordered the suspension of Mayor Ayong Maliksi of Imus, Cavite.

“So, ano naman ang kaibahan namin, na kami na sa UNA ay pinipilit nilang i-serve?”

Tiangco asked the DILG to wait for the decision of the Court of Appeals on Binay’s petition for certiorari.

Binay earlier said there was undue haste in the Ombudsman order, which suspended him over the alleged overpricing of the Makati City Hall Building 2 project.

Tiangco denied that Binay is defying the Ombudsman’s orders by refusing to step down.

“I hope you allow me to state that we are not defying the Office of the Ombudsman. I have utmost respect for Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales but I think we are just entitled to our legal remedies,” he clarified.

“Ito ay legal na proseso na ginagawa namin,” he added.

Tiangco said what is happening in Makati City now is not a problem of the city only. He described the situation as a “power grab” after Roxas lost in the 2010 vice-presidential race to Binay’s father, Vice-President Jejomar Binay.

“Can you imagine the scenario na aagawin niyang ang puwesto doon sa anak ng tumalo sa kanya?” Tiangco said.

He also said the case of Mayor Binay is not a regular process, noting that Liberal Party allies linked to the P10 billion pork barrel scam have not been charged.

Tiangco said Makati City Hall will continue to provide its services to Makati residents, and that the city hall doors were closed only for crowd control.

“Tuloy-tuloy, kasi ‘yong basic service naman nandoon sa Makati City Hall 2. Gusto lang naming ipaliwanag kung bakit naming sinara muna yung mga entrances dito: dahil we don’t want to be infiltrated.”

“May mag reports kami na we’ll be infiltrated, baka sasabihin sa amin naggaling ‘yong gulo kasi nanggaling ‘yong gulo sa loob ng city hall,” Tiangco said.

“So sinisuguro lang namin na yung mga papasok dito ay talagang sinisigurado na may official transactions ditto sa loob ng main building para naman maiwasan at ma-control ‘yong tao,” he explained.

Source: ANC