Manila: Interior Department officials deployed anti-riot police on Wednesday to disperse supporters of a suspended Manila suburb mayor who refused to honour an order suspending him on graft charges.
Interior Undersecretary Wencelito Andanar said they were forced to send in anti-riot police after supporters of Pasay City Mayor Wenceslao "Peewee" Trinidad barricaded themselves inside the public official's office.
Despite the pushing and shoving, no one was reportedly seriously hurt in the melee.
After a tense three-hour standoff, Andanar said Trinidad is nowhere to be found at his office in the city. Trinidad was suspended along with his vice-mayor, Antonio Calixto, and 10 city counsellors.
Trinidad was ordered suspended by the Ombudsman last Friday for failing to hold public biddings on garbage collection and disposal contracts in 2004 and 2005.
