Taguig to Makati: Observe status quo

Those hoping for a ceasefire in the war of words between officials of the cities of Taguig and Makati should stop holding their breath.

Taguig Mayor Lani Cayetano on Monday called on Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay Jr. to observe the status quo following the former’s filing of a motion of reconsideration (MR) in the Court of Appeals last week.

Cayetano insisted that the filing of the appeal should suspend the execution of the appellate court’s July 30 decision which awarded jurisdiction over Fort Bonifacio to the Makati City government.

The ruling settled a 20-year-old dispute over which city had the right to annex seven disputed barangays (villages) to its official land area.

“With the filing of the MR, we again would like to clarify that the status quo prevails in Fort Bonifacio. Taguig will continue to exercise jurisdiction over Fort Bonifacio,” she said in a statement.

Binay, however, was unfazed and announced that the city government was earmarking an initial allocation of P50 million for the repair and rehabilitation of roads in Barangay Southside which is within the area being claimed by both cities.

He justified his plan to carry out road and infrastructure projects immediately in the area and another barangay, saying their residents had “suffered from 20 years of neglect.”

“We stand by our pledge to correct the 20-year injustice. We will focus on the prompt delivery of basic services to the residents of Barangays Southside and Northside, including the implementation of infrastructure projects to improve their quality of life,” Binay said.

According to the Makati Department of Engineering and Public Works, the project was supposed to cover nine streets in Barangay Southside but they were able to survey only seven because they were accosted by Taguig’s civilian enforcers on Aug. 15.

The streets that will be covered by the concreting and drainage projects are Scorpion Street (477 meters), Garden Lloyd Street (196 meters), Fox Street (615 meters), Striker Street (187 meters), Crusader Street (148 meters), Centurion Street (202 meters) and Apag Street (262 meters).

At the same time, Binay criticized the Taguig City government for abandoning the two barangays when these were still under its jurisdiction.

He said these areas were “apparently left out in the frenzy of development efforts at Bonifacio Global City (BGC).”

“We cannot conceive of any valid reason for the neglect of these two barangays in the past 20 years.  One would have to be blind not to see the severe injustice suffered by their residents because of the injunction that prevented the city government of Makati from providing them the public service they deserve,” Binay added.

On the other hand, Taguig Public Order and Safety Office (Poso) chief Kim Pautin criticized the increasing presence of Makati government personnel and police within the disputed area, saying this was creating more tension between the two city governments.

“It’s the responsibility of the mayor being the head of the city to take care of his personnel. I don’t know what [Binay] is thinking but if he was a responsible leader, he would not issue orders that would endanger his people,” Pautin said.

Pautin was referring to the Aug. 15 incident in Barangay Southside in which Taguig Poso personnel faced off with Makati policemen who were guarding Makati engineers conducting a land survey in Barangay Southside. Another face-off occurred on Aug. 28, this time in Barangay Northside, over “Welcome to BGC, Makati” tarpaulins displayed in the area.