Makati happy; Taguig vows to fight CA ruling on Global City dispute

Court of Appeals building. FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—The city government of Makati welcomed the ruling of an appellate court declaring that the sprawling Bonifacio Global City (BGC) was under its jurisdiction.

But the Taguig City government insisted that it had jurisdiction over the disputed areas.

“We have yet to receive a copy of the decision. But Makati’s claim on these areas has historical and legal basis. We have always maintained that these are part of Makati and we are glad that the Court of Appeals (CA) has upheld our position,” Joey Salgado, head of the Information and Community Relations Department of the Makati City government, said in a text message.

Asked if the decision would have an impact on the business establishments at BGC, Salgado said the outcome would be merely “a change of address.”

“And, they (businesses) will benefit, since the Makati City government imposes lower tax rates,” Salgado said without giving exact figures.

The Taguig City government has maintained the disputed land was under its jurisdiction.

“The CA decision, with due respect, is erroneous,” Taguig Mayor Lani Cayetano said in a text message.

“We will fight to make sure that the disputed land remains with Taguig. We are confident that we will ultimately win this fight,” she added.

Former Sen. Joker Arroyo hailed the appellate court’s decision.

“All’s well that ends well… The decision writes finis to a 20-year fight of Makati, which started during the congressional deliberation on the bill creating the City of Makati, which I authored as a congressman,” said Arroyo, who represented the city’s first district from 1992 to 2001.

He noted that while Taguig had claimed BGC, then known as Fort Bonifacio, as within its jurisdiction, the appellate court recognized proclamations made by then Presidents Ferdinand Marcos and Corazon Aquino that “supported Makati’s position relative to the disputed area as constitutional and valid.”

Arroyo noted that the decision declared that Taguig’s position that was contrary to that of Makati was the one that was “unconstitutional.”