Makati staff sue Taguig officials for ‘illegal detention’

Makati City employees file illegal detention and grave coercion complaints against Taguig City Mayor Lani Cayetano and other city officials on Tuesday, March 5, 2024. INQUIRER FILES

MANILA, Philippines — Makati City employees on Tuesday filed illegal detention and grave coercion complaints against Taguig City Mayor Lani Cayetano and other city officials.

In their complaint, Salvador Palisa, Salvador Mercado, Ryalyn Almazar, and Joven Mediavillo accused Cayetano, three other Taguig City officials, and several John Does of harassing and illegally detaining them on separate days and locations.

The local government of Makati said Palisa and Mercado claimed that they were locked inside the Makati Park and Garden on two separate occasions by people who introduced themselves as personnel of the Taguig local government.

READ: Makati hits back at Taguig over park shutdown

Palisa was allegedly detained in the park for two days while Mercado was allegedly detained in the park for a day.

READ: Taguig City: Makati Park and Garden is ours

Makati also said that Almazar claimed she was illegally confined inside the Makati Aqua Sports Arena (MASA) while Mediavillo claimed he was prevented from entering the same establishment, also by alleged Taguig City personnel.

INQUIRER.net has been contacting the local government of Taguig for a reaction, but yet to receive a response as of this writing.

Tension soared anew between Makati and Taguig over the shut down of a riverfront park.

Makati called Taguig a “bully” for the Makati Park and Garden’s closure as it was supposedly “operating without the necessary permits.”

Makati said Taguig issued the closure order on Sunday morning (March 3) and proceeded to block all entrances, erected barricades, and deployed its personnel to surround the perimeter of the garden.

“The order was served on the same day at 6:40 a.m. The park’s gate was padlocked by men with scarves covering their faces. Several Makati employees remain trapped inside the park,” Makati said in a statement also issued on Sunday.

In an earlier statement, Taguig  claimed that Makati failed to secure a mayor’s permit in accordance with the Local Government Code, jurisprudence, and local ordinances covering any business, trade, or activity within the city.

“The said park and garden, which has been effectively closed as a park by Makati and used as a garage for its heavy equipment and storage for various objects, is subject to Taguig’s jurisdiction, which has the right to possess and administer the same, notwithstanding Makati’s unlawful possession,” Taguig said.