Taguig City: Makati Park and Garden is ours

Makati and Taguig maps. INQUIRER FILES

MANILA, Philippines — Taguig City asserted Saturday that the Makati Park and Garden is under its jurisdiction, citing a Supreme Court ruling in 2022.

The local government criticized Makati City for calling Taguig City a land-grabber over the administration of the park.

“Tinuldukan na ng Korte Suprema ang usaping ito. Walang karapatan ang Makati na akusahan ang Taguig ng pangangamkam ng lupa. Ang Korte Suprema mismo ang nagsabi na ilegal na kinamkam ng Makati at inukupahan ng mahigit tatlong (3) dekada ang 10 EMBO barangay,” Taguig City said in a statement.

(The Supreme Court has already ruled on this matter. Makati has no right to accuse Taguig of land grabbing. The Supreme Court itself said that Makati illegally seized and occupied 10 EMBO barangays for more than three decades.)

READ: Guards foil Taguig traffic team’s attempt to enter Makati park

On Friday, Makati City claimed that it owns the Makati Park and Garden located in Barangays West Rembo and Cembo – two villages included in the 10 Embo barangays which the Supreme Court said in 2022 are under the jurisdiction of Taguig City.

According to Makati City, personnel from the Taguig Traffic Management Office tried to enter the park on March 1 but security guards and the Makati Public Safety Department personnel stopped them from proceeding.

READ: SC denies Makati’s bid to admit 2nd appeal on territorial dispute with Taguig

“Taguig has once again proven that it is bent on grabbing property. Gusto nilang mangamkam ang lupa na hindi kanila. Gusto nilang magpasasa sa mga ipinundar ng pamahalaang lungsod ng Makati gamit ang buwis ng mamamayan ng Makati,” Makati City said in its statement Friday.

(Taguig has once again proven that it is bent on grabbing property. They want to seize a land that is not theirs. They want to indulge in a property established by the Makati City government through the taxes of the citizens of Makati.)

However, Taguig City said: “Ang parke ay nararapat buksan para sa publiko at hindi dapat gawing tambakan lamang. Ito ay para sa mga mamamayan ng EMBO.”

(The park should be open to the public and should not be turned into a dumping ground. This is for EMBO citizens.)