The spokesperson for twice-suspended and later-dismissed Makati Mayor Junjun Binay said Friday that the decision of the Court of Appeals junking Binay鈥檚 petition that questioned his second preventive suspension was already expected.
鈥淲e have not received a copy of the decision but the mayor鈥檚 lawyers have been expecting the decision,鈥� Joey Salgado said in a brief statement.
According to Salgado, 聽the appellate court鈥檚 聽decision to junk Binay鈥檚 petition against the Ombudsman and the Department of the Interior and Local Government in connection with his suspension over the allegedly overpriced construction of the Makati City Science High School was a 鈥渃onsequence of the illegal resolution鈥� of Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales dismissing Binay from government service 鈥渆ven in the absence of compelling evidence.鈥�
Salgado was referring to Carpio-Morales鈥� order that was announced earlier this month, after she said there was strong evidence to hold Binay guilty of grave misconduct and serious dishonesty in connection with the allegedly overpriced construction of another building, the P2.28-billion Makati City Hall Building II.
The Ombudsman then also barred Binay from ever holding public office after also suspending him.
鈥淭he mayor鈥檚 lawyers have filed a motion for reconsideration on the said Ombudsman resolution,鈥� Salgado said.
In its decision promulgated on Friday, the Court of Appeals emphasized that 聽Binay鈥檚 second preventive suspension in connection with the construction of the Makati City Science High School has been deemed 鈥渙vertaken, if not superseded, by the order of dismissal by Carpio-Morales.鈥�