Salvador Filio, 46, of Tripa 3 Gallena street, Barangay San Isidro, Makati C ity, went to the headquarters of the Southern Police District (SPD) at Fort Bonifacio and filed a complaint against one of Binay’s men, Diomedes Camporaso, a member of Makati City Anti-Drug Abuse Council (MADAC).
Police said Filio claimed that Camporaso who was reeking with liquor went to his house and threatened to shoot him with a caliber .45 automatic.
Filio is one of the witnesses of former vice mayor Roberto Brillante in the graft case filed against Binay and 17 other city officials who allegedly kept "ghost" or non-existent employees on the local government payroll.
The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) issued on Tuesday a 60-day suspension order against Binay and the other city officials. Binay, however, got a temporary restraining order (TRO) from the Court of Appeals suspending the suspension order issued by the DILG.
Filio said that the drunken Camporoso arrived at their place warning him that he would be killed if he will testify against Binay and Vice Mayor Ernesto Mercado.
"Tigilan mo na ang pambebengga kay Mayor at kay Vice Mayor. Tigilan mo na pag-witneses," Camporoso reportedly snarled at him while pointing a pistol at him.
Camporoso also warned him not to move from his seat or he will be shot, Filio told police investigators.
The incident, according to Filio, was witnessed by his relatives and friends who were playing cards with him infront of their house at about 4:50 p.m. last Friday.
However, despite Filio’s allegations, SPD police director Senior Superintendent Ricardo Padilla advised Filio to present more proof to support his accusations against Camporoso.
Instead of formally filing Filio’s complaint, Padilla advised him to return today with witnesses to corroborate his complaint against Camporoso.
"Here comes a man, complaining one MADAC and I advised him to bring tomorrow witnesses who corroborate his allegations," said Padilla.
Based on the initial interview conducted by him on Filio, Padilla said Campororo would be liable for grave threats if the complainant can provide more evidence.
"If evidence so warrant, we are going to file a case, if not, we will dig deeper into this incident," Padilla said.
For four at least four days, Makati City Hall virtually looked like a war zone, when Malacañang, through the DILG served the suspension order for Binay, Mercado and the the city councilors.
The standoff was only resolved after the Court of Appeals (CA) issued a TRO favoring Binay and the other accused officials.
Meanwhile, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said yesterday that Malacañang’s suspension of Binay was within the bounds of law and reason.
During an interview in the weekly radio program "Para sa Iyo Bayan" of Vice President Noli De Castro, Ermita said his signing of the 60-day suspension order on Binay has the authority of the Office of the President.
Following the TRO issued by the CA stopping Binay’s suspension, Ermita said Malacañang will seek to justify why the restraining order should be lifted.
"Nakasisiguro tayo na hindi tayo gagawa ng illegal at ang lahat ay ginawa (We are certain that we will not do something illegal, all our efforts are) within the bounds of reason and law," Ermita said.
"We are not objecting to the Court of Appeals’ order. Sa pamamaraan ng comments masasabi naman why the TRO should be lifted (We can explain why the TRO should be lifted)," Ermita said.
Ermita stressed there is nothing political in the suspension order.
"It’s just part of the job. I won’t do anything illegal. It’s all within the bounds of reason, within the bounds of law, within the rule of law," he said.
Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said government lawyers would just have to act accordingly to ensure fair play.
He said the government would file its comment within 10 days as ordered by the CA. — With Rhodina Villanueva, Pia Lee-Brago, Aurea Calica