Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — The Office of the Ombudsman once again ordered on Monday (June 29) the suspension of Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay “Junjun” Binay Jr. — this time for his involvement in the alleged anomalies in the construction bidding of the Makati City Science High School.
But Binay stood his ground, saying that the suspension order had no basis. He added that he expected a repeat of what happened last March when he merely stayed inside the Makati City Hall until the order had been resolved in court.
That time, Mayor Binay was called out for corruption allegations surrounding the construction of the Makati City Hall Building II.
Read: Ombudsman slaps Makati mayor with six-month suspension
In the younger Binay’s defense, the Office of the Vice President (OVP) slammed the Aquino administration for its selective justice — especially when it comes to Vice President Jejomar Binay’s family.
While Mayor Binay has already been issued two suspension orders in less than six months, the OVP complained that President Benigno Aquino III and his Cabinet seem to show no commitment to investigating administration allies supposedly involved in the pork barrel scam.
“This precipitate and unduly harsh action demonstrates the undue haste and priority given to investigations against the vice president and his family, while pussyfooting on the anomalies perpetrated by Liberal Party and administration allies,” said Rico Quicho, vice presidential spokesperson for political concerns.
Mayor Binay also hit back, accusing Malacañan of carrying out a so-called “Oplan Nognog,” a plan to stop his father from running in the 2016 presidential election.
Quicho supported this statement by saying: “We expect more retaliatory and oppressive maneuvers against the vice president and his family. This is but part of their conspiracy to deny the people the competent and compassionate governance which the vce president intends to share to the people.”
While the Makati Mayor expressed his intent to file a petition in court to lift his current preventive suspension, he assumed that the order would be served by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
Related: Court grants Mayor Binay injunction vs. suspension
Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II , on the other hand, confirmed to media the authenticity of the suspension order on Monday from Cebu.
He added that the National Capital Region office of the DILG would be in charge of serving the suspension order.
CNN Philippines’ Anjo Alimario, Joyce Ilas, and Alyosha Robillos contributed to this report.
