MANILA, Philippines – Taguig City Mayor Sigfrido “Freddie” Tiñga said they might allow the Embassy Super Club and Embassy Fly to reopen if management adopts strict security measures to ensure the safety of guests.

“We are not driving away business,” said Tiñga. “We are working doubly hard to live up to our name as the most business-friendly city in the country. We want to make sure patrons in business establishments here are safe.”

Business Permits and License Office chief Jeffe Minglana said the city government was drafting a compliance agreement that would, among other things, ask Embassy to install security cameras in and outside the club, and to allow authorities to have access to the footage and the club whenever necessary.

Security

The club, located at The Strip in Bonifacio Global City, would be required to beef up security and have K-9 sniffing dogs to secure the club and its perimeters.

Embassy was ordered closed the other day following the alleged mauling of a balikbayan patron, Alexandrew Vargas, by a freelance emcee, DJ Pauly Mac (Paul Montemayor in real life).

Hours after the Taguig government ordered the closure of the club, a “private party” was held outside Thursday evening.

Minglana said in a phone interview that event organizers asked Tiñga for permission to hold the party. The BPLO chief said he stayed at the club premises until 9 p.m. to monitor the affair.

No alcoholic drinks

He said guests were not allowed to have alcoholic drinks outside the premises.

Minglana said the BPLO would await the results of the police investigation on the mauling incident that prompted the city government to order the club’s closure.

Meanwhile, Montemayor, 25, presented himself to police investigators Thursday evening to face the charges filed against him.

Chief of police Supt. Alfred Corpus said they filed a case of serious physical injuries against Montemayor and two unidentified suspects at the City Prosecutors Office.

Montemayor allegedly mauled Vargas before dawn Thursday inside the bar.

In an official statement, the Embassy Club and Cafe Inc. denounced the “altercation” involving disc jockey Montemayor and Vargas.

In an e-mail to the Inquirer, the Embassy said Montemayor was not their employee but was a “freelance emcee who performs in numerous clubs and establishments in Metro Manila.”

“Embassy regrets the unfortunate incident which occurred last (Thursday). Embassy as an establishment has never espoused violence of any kind,” the statement said.

The club’s management claimed they acted “promptly and appropriately” after the incident, with the club’s security personnel immediately taking steps to protect the victim and other patrons.

“Mr. Vargas was administered first aid by our personnel and we had offered to call an ambulance to take him to the hospital, although he declined the latter,” the statement read.

The Embassy management said they also offered to accompany Vargas to the police community precinct 7, which was in front of the club.

But they said Vargas declined the offer.

“We wish to reiterate that Embassy does not condone incidents of this nature and assures that it will take all necessary measures to ensure that such incidents are prevented in the future. We likewise wish to assure the Taguig City government of our continuing support for its programs to maintain a positive image for the city,” the statement said.

The club’s vicinity was the scene of another mauling incident last year involving its patrons, commercial model Borgy Manotoc and Carlo Brown, grandson of former Social Welfare Secretary Mita Pardo de Tavera. The same year, a commercial pilot was also mauled to death near the establishment.

Allegations of illegal drugs use and drug dealing in the club by celebrity partygoers were also reported, although these have not been verified.