DILG says contempt rap filed by Binay has no basis

DILG Sec. Mar Roxas (left) and Makati Mayor Jejomar ‘JunJun’ Binay Jr.

MANILA – Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Wednesday said that the filing of contempt case by Makati City Mayor Jejomar “Jun Jun” Binay against Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II and officials from the PNP has no basis.

”There is no basis for the filing of a contempt case against Secretary Mar Roxas, DILG-NCR Director Renato Brion, National Capital Reion Police Office (NCRPO) Director Carmelo Valmoria, Southern Police District (SPD) Director Henry Ranola, Supt. Elmer Jamias, and acting City Mayor Romulo Peña. The DILG merely acted as an agent of the Ombudsman in implementing the suspension order of the Ombudsman. If the DILG did not comply with the Ombudsman’s order, then there would have been basis to cite the DILG in contempt,” Atty. Peter Corvera, DILG Undersecretary said in a statement.

Corvera said the DILG’s earlier position that, when the TRO was issued, there was nothing more to restrain, was validated by the Ombudsman in its Manifestation.

He said the Department of Justice, in its legal opinion, likewise declared that the TRO was already “moot and academic” given that there was nothing more to restrain at the time that the TRO was issued, since the acts sought to be restrained has already been performed.

”Therefore, any case for contempt filed against the DILG should not prosper given that the DILG was merely carrying out its deputized ministerial task of implementing the Ombudsman’s Order and consistently acting in consideration thereof,” he said.

For his part, Binay explained that his administration has been following the protocol, and appealed to Secretary Mar Roxas of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to do the same.

“My humble appeal to Secretary Roxas and members of the Liberal Party is to stop this type of dirty politics,” Binay said.

Binay assured Makati’s constituents that he remains in office and will continue to discharge his functions as mayor, including the signing of official documents pertaining to transactions of the city government.