Makati Vice Mayor Ernesto Mercado Sunday asked the Makati Regional Trial Court to re-raffle to a new judge the petition for injunction filed by Councilor Jejomar Erwin "Junjun" Binay Jr. against him and two other members of the Makati City Council.

Mercado is asking Judge Winlove Dumayas of the Makati RTC branch 59 to inhibit himself from hearing Councilor Binay's petition for a temporary restraining and desist order against Councilors Elias Tolentino and Salvador Pangilinan, and himself in his capacity as presiding officer of the Makati City Council.

In his four-page recusation, Mercado said he discovered that Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay has been stood as Dumayas' godfather during the judge's 25th wedding anniversary.

"In Filipino culture, this illustrates the closeness of the relationship between Mayor Binay and his family with the Honorable Judge – a godfather being akin to a father or a guardian to the couple," said Emmanuel Tamase, counsel for Mercado, Tolentino and Pangilinan.