Junjun Binay's camp hits Peña for 'credit grabbing'

MANILA, Philippines — The camp of suspended Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay on Monday slammed acting Makati Mayor Romulo Peña Jr. for allegedly grabbing credit for the city's high tax collection from January to August this year.

"Having been in his post for barely two months at the time the total income of the city was tallied, it was presumptuous, if not downright brazen, of Peña to attribute the 90 percent attainment of this year's target total income of the city to his administration," Joey Salgado, the suspended mayor's spokesman said in a statement.

Salgado claimed Peña and his allies have been "credit grabbing" in the past weeks.

"If you listen to them talk to the people of Makati, they now claim authorship of such programs as the yellow card and benefits for senior citizens which began under the leadership of Vice President [Jejomar] Binay and continued by Mayor Junjun Binay," Salgado added.

The latest report from the city treasurer's office shows that Makati as of last August 20 has achieved 90 percent of its target revenue collection for the entire year, or P11 billion out of P12.28 billion.

From January to June of this year, before Mayor Binay's suspension, total revenue collection already reached P9.5 billion, or 86.2 percent of total income as of August 20 this year.

Salgado said official financial records show that Makati has consistently increased its annual revenue collection in the past two decades.

"It cannot be denied that the business-stimulating policies put in place by the vice president during his term, which were continued and enhanced by his son, Mayor Junjun Binay, built and sustained a high level of investor confidence in the country's financial center," Salgado said.

Makati has consistently exceeded its target revenue collections and has never incurred a deficit in over two decades under the Binay administration.

Meanwhile, Salgado also hit Peña's "flagrant misuse of government funds" by allegedly spending millions of the city's funds on print advertisements that are allegedly aimed for his self-promotion.

"The recent print advertisements of Peña are obviously self-serving and merely intended to promote his own image. They do not serve any public information purpose and do not befit Makati's standing as a financial center," Salgado said.

Salgado said the print advertisement is clearly a case of using government funds for personal use which is not allowed by the Commission on Audit.

"It is ironic that Peña does not seem to have scruples about incurring such needless and unlawful expense," Salgado said.