INTERIOR Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr yesterday said the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) is closely working with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to prepare Taguig City’s “new” barangays for the October 30 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE).
“Comelec chairman George Garcia and I agree that it’s imperative to take action because there’s not much time left before the elections,” said Abalos.
“We respect the Supreme Court’s definition of the cities’ territorial boundaries and are coordinating accordingly,” Abalos also said.
On September 28 last year, the Supreme Court affirmed with finality its December 1, 2021 decision on the territorial dispute case between Taguig and Makati cities over Fort Bonifacio and transferred the jurisdiction of 10 barangays from Makati City to Taguig City.
The 2021 decision permanently barred Makati City from exercising jurisdiction over, making improvements on, or otherwise treating as part of its territory” Parcels 3 and 4, comprising Fort Bonifacio, including the so-called Inner Fort comprising of Barangays Pembo, Comembo, Cembo, South Cembo, West Rembo, East Rembo and Pitogo.
The Philippine Army headquarters, Navy installation, Marines’ headquarters, Consular area, Jusmag area, Heritage Park, Libingan ng mga Bayani, AFP Officers Village and the so-called six villages are situated in the said areas.
Abalos said that as early as May 3 this year, the DILG has already written the Supreme Court, requesting the court’s guidance in the implementation of the decision with respect to the affected barangays.
Abalos said the DILG even activated transition teams to deal with the territorial change while awaiting instructions from the High Court, adding that he has already directed the chiefs of the Philippine National Police, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology and Bureau of Fire “to revise the areas of responsibility and reporting lines of their affected local offices, in light of the decided boundaries.”
He said the actions of the three agencies would only cover matters of territorial supervision.
“As for specific rights or obligations over affected property, these will be dealt with in accordance with the procedure provided by law. We will also respect any further court orders in this regard,” said Abalos.
As Abalos made the statement, Makati Mayor Abigail Binay urged him to intervene and assist in the orderly transition to Taguig City of the affected barangays affected by the SC ruling.
“Ako ay nananawagan sa DILG. Siguro naman (I call on the DILG. Perhaps) it is high time for you to call a meeting for a proper transition of the enlisted men’s barrios or the EMBO barangays,” Binay told radio DZBB, describing the transition process as “chaotic.”
“Hindi naman siguro kalabisan na mamagitan ang DILG kasi sobrang nagkakagulo ngayon dahil conflicting po ‘yung mga order. Sabi ni police ganito, sabi ni DOJ ganito. Parang it just creates more problems rather than maging tama at maayos yung transition (I think it is not too much to ask for the DILG to intervene since it has become chaotic due to the conflicting orders from the police, from the DOJ. It seems it is creating more problems),” Binay said.
Likewise, the Makati City mayor insisted the SC ruling pertains only to territory but excluded ownership rights of public schools located in the affected barangays. She that like other infrastructure projects, the schools were paid for by Makati City, and as such is owned by the city.
She said she will seek clarification from Education Secretary Sara Duterte on the memorandum issued by the DepEd-NCR transferring the management and supervision of public schools located in the EMBO barangays from the Makati School Division to the Taguig-Pateros School Division.
“Hopefully, the DepEd central office will come up with a more clear (sic) order,” she said, adding that as far as Makati is concerned, the memorandum order covers only the teachers in the schools since they are DepEd employees but not the facilities.
Taguig City Mayor Lani Cayetano stood firm that the SC ruling is clear that the EMBO barangays are now under the city.
“Sa SC decision malinaw na ang mga areas na ito ay bahagi ng Taguig. I know uncomfortable ito pero magtatrabaho tayo para maging maayos ang transition natin (The SC decision is very clear that these areas are part of Taguig. I know this is uncomfortable, but we will work to ease the transition period),” Cayetano said after she visited the Makati Science High School for the latter’s Brigada Eskwela.
She said Taguig is ready to welcome their new constituents from the EMBO barangays, adding they will work to improve services for the residents.
“I cannot promise na exactly the same but I gave the commitment na ang mga programa na mas mahusay ang Taguig buong buo yan makukuha ng mga taga EMBO (I cannot promise exactly what they would receive but I gave the commitment that the programs of Taguig is more superior and will be provided to all EMBO residents),” she added, referring to the services, including school supplies that the affected residents said they had been receiving from Makati for several years now.
At the same time, Cayetano maintained that the issue of ownership or reimbursement for projects should be deferred as it only distracts the parties from the pressing issues that need to be addressed. — With Ashzel Hachero
