Makati mayor hits Comelec ruling on House bet for ’embo’ barangays

Makati City Mayor Abby Binay (FILE PHOTO)

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) decision to disallow residents of “embo” barangays to cast votes for congressman or member of the House of Representatives in the 2025 midterm elections is a denial of democracy, Makati City Mayor Abby Binay said.

Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia on Tuesday announced that residents from embo barangays—formerly under the jurisdiction of Makati City—can vote in the 2025 elections for national and local officials except for the position of congressman.

Garcia explained that there is no law that states that a new district is created in Taguig City after the transfer of jurisdiction.

Binay, however, argued that “the right to be represented in Congress is a basic principle in a democracy.”

“The decision denies the embo residents of this right,” she said.

The mayor also stressed that both city councilors and congressmen are elected by legislative districts.

“It seems that the poll body has forgotten that city councilors are elected by legislative district. If the embo residents can vote for city councilors, this means they are part of a legislative district. Then why can’t they vote for their congressional representative?” Binay pointed out.

She urged the Taguig City government to fight for the right of embo residents to vote for their congressional representative.

“To simply accept the Comelec decision is to sustain an injustice and be a party to the derogation of their rights as citizens. Their rights must be defended. If the Taguig leadership won’t do it, they would be complicit in the suppression of the rights of embo residents,” she said.