OIC mayor enters Pasay City Hall; Peewee refuses to leave

Acting Pasay City Mayor Allan Panaligan on Thursday morning finally held office at the Pasay City Hall, although his suspended rival Wenceslao "Peewee" Trinidad insisted on staying inside the building. Panaligan had to content himself with holding office at the councilors' office at the fourth floor, while Trinidad occupied the mayor's office two storeys below. The acting mayor and his supporters went through the back entrance as Trinidad's supporters continued to camp out at the city hall grounds. Furious over his difficulty to enter the building, Panaligan berated Senior Superintendent Marietto Valerio for failing to "secure" the city hall and its perimeter. He had to use the same "back entrance" to city hall, via the hall of justice, to get to the mayor's office. Trinidad's supporters were still in the area as of Thursday morning, prompting Panaligan to hint that he would push for Valerio's relief as acting Pasay police chief. Panaligan, who took his oath as acting mayor at the DILG office Tuesday, had to hold office Wednesday at the Pasay City Sports Complex. Trinidad told dzBB radio last Wednesday that Pasay City has "two mayors." He has defied the suspension order against him and 11 other local officials over anomalous government collection contracts. He earlier said he would rather wait for the Court of Appeals to issue a temporary restraining order against the suspension.-GMANews.TV