MANILA, Philippines — From being bitter rivals, the Binays and Makati District 1 Rep. Romulo “Kid” Peña have buried the hatchet and formed a united front in the city in the run-up to the elections in May.
Mayor Abigail Binay, who is seeking a third term, was with Peña during the proclamation rally of Team United at the city hall quadrangle on Friday night.
In the 2016 elections, Binay defeated Peña, who was acting mayor after Binay’s brother, Junjun, was suspended by the ombudsman over corruption allegations involving the Makati City Hall Building 2 project.
The two shared the stage together with former vice president and senatorial candidate Jejomar Binay, whom Peña defeated in a close contest for the city’s first congressional district in the 2019 midterm polls.
Also present were District 2 Rep. Luis Campos Jr., Vice Mayor Monique Lagdameo and their candidates for council
In a letter to their constituents in October 2021, Peña said he is backing Binay’s candidacy for mayor and her entire slate.
In expressing his support for Binay, Peña lauded her leadership in addressing the problems posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.