MAKATI CITY, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles) – Will the real mayor of Makati City please step forward?

Well, there’s actually two mayors right now – Incumbent Mayor Junjun Binay and Vice Mayor Romulo Peña, each claiming to be the legitimate head of the Philippines’ richest city.

It all started when the Philippine Ombudsman issued an order suspending Binay for six months in connection with the alleged overpricing of Makati City Hall Building II.

Soon after the order was served on Binay, Vice Mayor Peña was sworn into office as the acting mayor.

Binay claimed that he was still in charge of the city despite the Ombudsman’s order suspending him for six months. He said that the Court of Appeals granted his request for a temporary restraining order which had effectively stayed his suspension.

Not so, claimed the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales and Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, noting that the TRO was moot and academic because Peña had been sworn in as acting mayor on March 16 hours before the TRO was issued.

Since the suspension order was issued, Binay has been camping out in his office at the Makati City Hall, backed by supporters who were fed take out fried chicken and spaghetti (presumably from Jollibee).  Peña, who claims he is the acting mayor since he took oath when the suspension order was served on Binay, has been holding office at the old City Hall building nearby.

Finally, both “mayors” announced they have come to an agreement to end the week-long standoff.

“We have decided that both of us can be mayor,” Binay said. “We have agreed to divide Makati City into two jurisdictions — east and west of the Epifanio delos Santos Avenue (EDSA). EDSA is Metro Manila’s main thoroughfare that runs through many cities in the metropolis, including Makati.

I will be mayor of the East side and Peña will be mayor of the West side.”

All’s well that ends well.