Roxas tells Junjun Binay: ‘Step down, you're not special’

(Updated 1:50 p.m.) Interior Secretary Mar Roxas on Tuesday dared suspended Makati Mayor Junjun Binay to cease with his "drama" and step down from office, saying he is not "special."

"Nananawagan ako kay Mayor Binay na bumaba na. Hindi ito telenovela. Hindi kayo special. Kayo lang ang nagda-drama," Roxas said in a press conference in Camp Aquinaldo, a day after the Office of the Ombudsman suspended Binay in connection with a pending graft case.

Roxas said Binay is just like other government officials whom the Ombudsman had ordered to be suspended.

He added that the Department of Interior and Local Government was only following its mandate when its representatives served the suspension order earlier in the day.

“Wala namang gumugusto na magkagulo dito. Nagkakaroon lang ng drama dahil siguro ayaw talaga bumitiw sa kinalalagyan si Mayor Binay,” Roxas said.

Addressing the mayor, he added: “Hindi niyo po pagmamay-ari ang Makati, Mayor Binay. Walang naghahari dito kundi batas. Batas lang ang ating pinapatupad at iyan at iyan lang din ang ginagawa ng DILG at PNP. Kung ano po ang inyong gustong sabihin, sa korte kayo humarap.”

Violence erupted outside the Makati City Hall Tuesday morning after Binay's supporters threw chairs and water bottles at policemen who shielded the DILG representatives serving the suspension order.

Binay, the son of Vice President Jejomar Binay, was suspended with 14 others in connection with the alleged irregularities surrounding the construction of the Makati Science High School building.

Roxas maintained that the Ombudsman is an independent body that was only doing its job when it investigated the accusations of corruption against the mayor.

He said Mayor Binay’s insistence to remain in his post has only led to inconvenience and disservice to residents of Makati City.

“Kayo lang nagdadrama,” Roxas told Binay. “[Ngayon] ay may nasasaktan  at naabala ang mga transaksyon sa Makati.”

Junjun special only to dad

While Roxas demurred from specifying the possible charges that could be filed against the individuals who supposedly hit the police officers until he has viewed the video footage of the incident, he vowed that authorities will continue to enforce the law.

“Si Mayor Binay, espesyal lang siya sa tatay niya. Hindi siya espesyal sa batas. Ipapatupad namin ang batas,” he said.

He encouraged the media to show the videos of the supposed confrontation between Binay supporters and the police officers so that the public will know the truth about it.

“Lahat naman po ito nasa video. Kayong nasa media, ipalabas nyo ang video para makita ang katotohanan. Ang ating atas sa PNP, maximum tolerance. Absolute restraint. Nandoon sila para magpatupad ng batas. Hindi para manggulo kundi para panatilihin ang kaayusan at dapat lunukin na lang nila,” Roxas said.

He thanked the policemen deployed outside the city hall for maintaining their professionalism even when they were allegedly hit by the Vice President’s men.

“Palagi nyo isipin na alagad kayo ng batas at pinapatupad nyo ang batas. Iyan lang ang dapat mangibabaw,” Roxas said. —KBK, GMA News