Binay airs concern over Makati facilities

BGC land row:

MANILA, Philippines — Mayor Abby Binay yesterday raised concerns over the ownership of the Makati City government’s facilities in areas that were ruled to be under the territory of Taguig, following the Supreme Court ruling on the land dispute between the two cities.

Last June, the High Tribunal affirmed that the 729-hectare Bonifacio Global City (BGC) and nearby villages are within Taguig’s jurisdiction.

Binay said she met with Taguig Mayor Lani Cayetano on Tuesday, but the conversation did not go well.

“Taguig says they are the owners. We’re no longer talking about territory because they won the territorial dispute, but unfortunately what they interpreted from the court decision is that they also own the government facilities in the area that Makati owns,” Binay said in Filipino during an interview over dzBB.

“The Makati City government invested billions of funds to develop and build infrastructure in that area and what they want to do is to get the facilities without paying,” she added.

Binay also said the Taguig government has yet to present a writ of execution for the court decision on the territorial dispute, which would resolve the issue on ownership as well as set guidelines on the enforcement of the ruling.

She said among the city government facilities affected by the dispute are the Ospital ng Makati,  University of Makati as well as health centers, barangay halls and 14 schools.

“We have possession over those facilities and we introduced improvements. That’s why I was confused and I was enraged when I was told that we should be paying them rent,” Binay said.

To resolve the issue, Binay said they could resort to a plebiscite but the two city governments must agree to it.

She also said that Makati will follow the court decision, but a proper process that is prescribed in a writ of execution must be followed.

“As far as we’re concerned, status quo,” Binay said.

Binay assured over 300,000 residents who used to be under Makati that the city government will not abruptly cut off their benefits amid the transition.