Saying that they were unjustly laid off from their jobs, some 138 former Makati City hall workers have sued Mayor Jejomar Binay and the city administrator before the Office of the Ombudsman, it was learned Sunday.

The 138 workers — all connected with the Makati Anti-Drug Abuse Council (MADAC) and Makati Action Center (MAC) — sued Binay and City Administrator Marjorie de Veyra for “unreasonable, unfair, oppressive and discriminatory acts; grave misconduct; conduct unbecoming of a public official and violations of Republic Act (RA) 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.”

Lawyer Andrei Bon Tagum, the disgruntled workers’ counsel, said they have also sought before the Ombudsman the preventive suspension of Binay and De Veyra and promulgate a resolution for the conduct of appropriate criminal and administrative proceedings against the two officials. The charges were filed last Friday.

“The dismissal of the complainants is most unreasonable, unfair, oppressive and discriminatory as it is not even grounded on just, valid and legal grounds,” Tagum said.

“The complainants have suddenly become victims of collateral damage as a result of the political break-up between Mayor Binay and Vice Mayor (Ernesto) Mercado,” he said.

The fallout came about after the three-term mayor Binay, who had previously “anointed” Mercado as his successor, suddenly chose to endorse his only son, District I Councilor Jejomar Erwin “Jun-Jun” Binay Jr., as mayoralty candidate.