Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — Harassment and intimidation. That’s how Vice President Jejomar Binay described the way the dismissal order was served on his son, Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin “Junjun” Binay Jr.
Lawyer Rico Quicho, a spokesman of the vice president, said the Binay family was considering filing a harassment complaint against the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Philippine National Police (PNP).
On Wednesday (October 14), several police officers , led by a high-ranking official, along with some DILG employees trooped first to the house of the younger Binay to served the order issued two days earlier by the Office of the Ombudsman.
No one accepted the order, so the group opted to bring it to the vice president’s house instead.
Quicho said the procedure was irregular.
“Bakit ho may mga pulis?” Quicho said. “Bakit may mga miyembro ng DILG na negse-serve ng order ng ombudsman na na-serve dalawang araw na nakalipas?”
[Translation: “Why were there police officers? Why were there members of the DILG who served the ombudsman’s order two days after it was issued?”]
He noted that the order was not even final and executory yet, as it would still be subject to a motion for reconsideration.
“Martial law na yata, wala pang deklarasyon,” Quicho said. “Hindi na ginagalang ang batas. May sariling batas na alam ang administrasyon na ito. Ang kamay ng mga nasa oposisyon itinali na ng yellow ribbon.”
[Translation: “It looks like we’re already under martial law, without it being declared. There’s no longer respect for law. This administration has its own laws. The hands of the opposition are now tied with yellow ribbons.”]
Yellow has been the color the Aquino family has been using in politics – from the administration of President Corazon Aquino to the that of President Benigno Aquino III.
Quicho said this manner of serving the order was part of efforts to destroy the vice president’s reputation and his presidential bid next year.
But the DILG denied harassing Binay.
Maria Lourdes Agustin, officer-in-charge of the National Capital Region office of the DILG, said she sent two female staff members and four field officers from the DILG and around five police officers aboard four police cars to serve the order.
It was all part of protocol, she said.
Meanwhile, Quicho said the vice president was expecting more of the so-called demolition-by-perception moves against but nothing could stop him from running in the 2016 elections.
