Makati City Vice Mayor Romulo “Kid” Peña yesterday officially relinquished the position of acting mayor, ending a 31-day standoff with Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay.
Peña said he had accomplished his mission, but Mayor Binay said Peña was never acting mayor.
Upon his return to the vice mayor’s office on the 20th floor of the main city hall building, Peña signed the payroll and checks of city councilors, Sangguniang Lungsod staff, and personnel under his office that had been delayed as a result of the dispute.
Peña said he resumed his duties as vice mayor following a directive of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) based on a writ of preliminary injunction granted by the Court of Appeals (CA) to Mayor Binay.
“I was advised to step down from the acting mayor post and heed the CA’s ruling,” Peña said.
He then sent a memorandum to Mayor Binay and members of the city council and department heads about his return to his office .
In his two-page memorandum, Vice Mayor Peña said he recognized the rule of law and was giving due respect to the authority of the judiciary, the Ombudsman, the DILG, and the present administration of the city. He said he would perform his functions, responsibilities, and authority as elected vice mayor and presiding officer of the city government of Makati.
He maintained that he only “carried out his sworn duty as prescribed in the law” after the Ombudsman suspended Mayor Binay.
“My duty to replace the mayor temporarily brought by the suspension order has been fulfilled and my return to my post is also in accordance with the process. For that I can say, it’s mission accomplished… I am only following the rule of law,” said Peña, a member of the Liberal Party.
Manila Bulletin
