MANILA, Philippines — Makati City has filed a motion asking the Regional Trial Court (RTC) of Taguig to issue a status quo ante order against Taguig City on Thursday.
Makati Mayor Abigail Binay, together with City City Administrator Claro Certeza and City Legal Officer Michael Camiña, filed the motion.
A status quo ante order is a court order to “maintain the last actual, peaceable, uncontested state of things which preceded the controversy.”
In the Urgent Motion, Makati City said that there were attempts made by Taguig City to implement the Supreme Court’s decision granting the latter jurisdiction over contested territory formerly under Makati City, collectively known as the Embo barangays.
“Makati only wants an orderly administration of the Supreme Court decision with the least disruption to the residents and the uninterrupted delivery of basic services in the affected areas,” Binay said.
According to the Urgent Motion, Taguig City made several attempts to forcibly possess several school buildings in the affected areas and prevented Makati City from distributing school supplies in the locations.
“The City of Taguig cannot simply take the law into its own hands and act as it pleases to forcibly execute the Decision dated 1 December 2021 without a court-issued writ of execution,” the Urgent Motion said.
Aside from the request for the issuance of a status quo ante order, Makati City has also asked the trial court whether a writ of execution is needed to enforce the Supreme Court decision.
Makati City also asked the Taguig RTC to clarify the exact metes and bounds of the disputed lands, as the Supreme Court did not mention it in the dispositive part, which must be determined before the decision can be enforced.
In December 2021, the Supreme Court ruled that Parcels 3 and 4, Psu-2031 comprising Fort Bonifacio, which included the Embo barangays, are under the jurisdiction of Taguig City.
The Urgent Motion will also allow Makati City to assert ownership of its properties in the disputed areas.
Inquirer.net has reached out to the Taguig City government for comment and has yet to receive a response as of posting time.
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