Makati City Vice Mayor Romulo “Kid” Peña remains defiant.
Two days after the Court of Appeals (CA) issued an injunction compelling the Office of the Ombudsman and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to “respect and preserve” the status quo prevailing in Makati City before the issuance of the six-month preventive suspension on Mayor Jejomar Erwin “Junjun” S. Binay Jr., Peña declared he will continue to stand his ground as acting mayor.
The defiant vice mayor said he will not step down as acting mayor until he hears the final ruling of the Supreme Court (SC) on the confusion surrounding the implementation of the preventive suspension order against Mayor Binay.
“I have to wait for the directive coming from the Office of the Ombudsman and the DILG (Department of the Interior and Local Government) on whether I will remain or step down as acting mayor. I am still waiting for their guidance,” Peña told reporters in a press briefing yesterday.
Peña was referring to the petition of the Office of the Ombudsman seeking to nullify the temporary restraining order (TRO) of the Court of Appeal that stopped the implementation of the six-month suspension of Binay.
“I believe that the ball is in the hands of the SC,” said Peña, who reported for work at his office at the old city hall building.
The SC has scheduled oral arguments on the petition on April 14 in Baguio City.
Manila Bulletin
