Prosecutor dismisses illegal detention, other charges vs Taguig execs

Makati and Taguig maps. INQUIRER FILES

MANILA, Philippines — Taguig City prosecutor dismissed illegal detention and grave coercion charges against Mayor Lani Cayetano and other officials due to insufficient evidence.

In a resolution dated August 2, the prosecutor concluded that the complainants failed to present enough proof to support the charges against Cayetano, City Administrator Jose Luis Montales, Business Permit and Licensing Office Head Maria Theresa Veloso, Traffic Management Office Head Danny Cañaveral, and several others.

READ: Taguig City: Makati Park and Garden is ours

The complaints stemmed from an incident that occurred between March 1 and 3, involving the closure of the Makati Park and Garden and the Makati Aqua Sports Arena due to lack of government permits.

Both facilities are in Barangay West Rembo, one of the EMBO barangays that reverted to Taguig City.

READ: ‘Contested park awarded to Makati City by nat’l government’

Complainants Salvador Palisa, Ryalyn Almazar, Joven Mediavillo, and Salvador Mercado—employees of the Makati City Government—claimed that the respondents unlawfully ordered them detained in the park, preventing them from leaving or re-entering.

In response, the respondents presented a TV Patrol news report from March 2, showing footage of the Makati City personnel in their blue uniforms behind barricades during the March 1 tension over the Makati Park and Garden.

“The report even showed Makati City personnel coming in and out of the park,” the resolution read.

“Such report belied the claim of illegal detention by the Complainants. In the said report, it was the Makati City LGU who still had effective control of the access points of Park, and thus it was impossible for the Respondent to have ordered Taguig City personnel to detain Complainants Palisa, Almazar, or Mercado, given that ingress and egress in said park was controlled by the Makati City LGU,” it added.

Moreover, the prosecutor noted that Mediavillo was “untruthful” in his grave coercion allegations as he claimed that he was prevented from going inside the Makati Aqua Sports Arena—a contradiction from his Supplemental Complaint saying he was prevented from leaving the place.