Makati-Taguig mayoras now at war

Soundbites on television news and social media capture the increasing verbal war between Makati Mayor Abby Binay and Taguig Mayor Lani Cayetano over the Supreme Court decision that Taguig could exercise jurisdiction over the contested area within Fort Bonifacio’s Military Reservation Parcels 3 and 4 (Psu-2031). This includes Makati’s 10 EMBO barangays namely Pembo, Comembo, South Cembo, West Rembo, East Rembo, Pitogo, Rizal Post Proper Northside, and Post Proper Northside within 3.05 square kilometers.

While preparing schools’ opening days ago in the 14 public schools, confusion among the citizenry and the 30,000 students heightened as Taguig-Pateros DepEd “forcibly attempted” to take over and enforce the decision. But Makati insists it owns the building and the lots of all the schools and Taguig must first settle this issue of ownership. Taguig calls this a “delaying tactic”. To calm both sides, VP and Deped Secretary Sara Duterte created a transition committee for both cities to comply. And for the opening of classes on August 29, it will be DepEd taking over, not Taguig or Makati.

Comes now a statement from Supreme Court Administrator Raul Villanueva, who wrote, “As an initial assessment, the decision of the Supreme Court’s 3rd Division should be the subject of a writ of execution before the trial court of origin”. This writ of execution, a “legal order”, will then be implemented by the Dept of Interior and Local Government (DILG) to enforce the decision of the court. Since June, DILG secretary Benhur Abalos says he is waiting for the SC writ of execution.

It was not known if Taguig has filed for a writ of execution before the Supreme Court. The LGU believes this “writ” is not needed as the Pasig Regional Trial Court already issued a permanent injunction order against Makati.  It sees the RTC order and the DepEd’s creation of a transition committee as both self-executing and permanent, thus ending its territorial dispute with Makati.

Mayor Abby says she will continue to fight tooth and nail as the Supreme Court decision will mean saying goodbye to its second congressional district and its more than 300,000 residents. Will these families especially their school children lose their benefits? Will free medical hospitalizations stop? Will the senior citizens in these 10 barangays settle for lower also benefits? On the other side, Taguig Mayor Lani are giving repeated assurances that citizens will continue to receive their benefits.   Of course, Taguig will really need a lot of time and funds to immediately takeover all of Makati’s regular benefits to its citizens. But in the ongoing transition, which could be quick or long term, the most important is who will take care of all these citizens.

Looking further, what will happen now to the other prominent institutions of Makati in the disputed area, now to be transferred to Taguig? These are the University of Makati (UMAK), the UMAK Football Field, the Ospital ng Makati, the Makati City Jail, Makati Science High School, the Makati Aqua Sports Arena, the Makati Park and Garden and other areas which will now be under the jurisdiction of Taguig.   Will their names be changed?

But more importantly, will Taguig LGU have the wherewithal to buy all these land titles and its buildings? Will they be able to rent these from the Makati LGU, including personnel and modern equipment? The questions just go on and on and these depends on the developing events in that dispute.

From my view, there are still numerous legal and ground issues to resolve before finally ending this Taguig-Makati dispute. Apart from the “writ of execution”, The Supreme court first division in a 28-page decision on April 19, granted Pateros, a nearby municipality, another chance to prove its ownership of Bonifacio Global city and the 10 EMBOs citing historical maps during the Spanish colonial era. It ordered the Pasig Regional Trial Court Branch 271, Taguig City station to reinstate Pateros civil case and proceed with dispatch. The SC said ‘there is a need to settle the three-decade land dispute among the three LGU’s Pateros, Taguig and Makati.

In a major twist, the Comelec declared that 10 barangays formerly under Makati City will now be part of Taguig City for the 2023 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) after the Supreme Court resolved the territorial dispute between the two cities favoring Taguig.
According to a memorandum dated August 19 signed by Comelec Director Consuelo Diola, the poll body is set to start the process for the administrative transfer of records of the affected voters in the ten enlisted men’s barrio (embo) barangays. This was issued despite the order of the Supreme Court dated August 14 that Taguig will need a “writ or execution” before exercising jurisdiction over the EMBO baranggays.

This new Comelec memorandum further heightens the already tense political situation in Makati and Taguig.  The ten EMBO barangays comprise the second congressional district of Makati whose legislator is Rep. Luis Campos, husband of Mayor Abby. If these barangays are pulled out, then Makati’s 2nd district will only have Guadalupe Nuevo, Guadalupe Nuevo and Pinagkaisahan. Would these three barangays with only 38,000 residents qualify as a congressional district?  Clearly, a new redistricting law must be passed before the 2025 national and local polls.

This Comelec decision to move Makati Embo voters to Taguig without the SC “writ of execution”, is AGAIN expected to provide more fireworks between the feuding Mayoras in the coming days. And if only to emphasize, the lives and future of 300,000 individuals are the winners and losers in this hot LGUs dispute. Please make sure they are all well attended.