Senator Alan Peter Cayetano on Friday, January 5, 2024 expressed his outrage over the City of Makati’s decision to deprive the 10 EMBO (Enlisted Men’s Barrio) barangays of a smooth transition to the City of Taguig.
Cayetano expressed his sentiment in a Facebook Live on his official page, after his discovery of padlocked fire stations that he said could have ended in tragedy during the holiday season.
The senator said it was Makati City Mayor Abby Binay who sanctioned that the fire stations in EMBO to be padlocked.
“The issue is that the people of Taguig were put in grave danger n'ung (during) Christmas Eve until now because kinandado ang mga fire station sa EMBO (the fire stations in EMBO were padlocked),” Cayetano said.
“Napa kadelikado ang nangyari na inabandona ng BFP (Bureau of Fire Protection) ang mga fire station sa EMBO barangays (The fact that the BFP abandoned the fire stations in the EMBO barangays was very dangerous),” the senator said.
According to Cayetano, he discovered the matter on New Year’s Day when he and his wife, City of Taguig Mayor Lani Cayetano, visited the police stations of Barangays West Rembo and Comembo.
“First day of the year na bumalik ang mga EMBO sa Taguig after decades. Inimbita kami ni Lani sa West Rembo and Comembo at nag-boodle fight kasama ang mga police. Pagtingin namin, sa same compound, nakakandado ang fire station (It was the first day of the year that all EMBO was returned to Taguig after decades. Me and Lani were invited to a boodle fight at West Rembo and Comembo. When we saw one compound, the fire station was padlocked),” he said.
The senator said this could have been detrimental noting that at the height of the New Year celebration starting December 31, all fire stations in all EMBO jurisdictions are padlocked.
"Wala tayong kamalay-malay at alam naman po natin na red alert kapag December 31 dahil napakaraming gumagamit ng mga paputok (We did not know that and we all know that during December 31, we are all on red alert because a lot of people are using fireworks),” he angrily added.
Cayetano said he even called up the Director of Bureau of Fire regarding the issue but there was no response.
“When I talked to (DILG) Secretary Benhur (Abalos) earlier, sabi daw ni Mayor Abby, sila daw may-ari nung fire stations,” Cayetano seethed.
“Hindi acceptable sa akin iyan (this is not acceptable to me). We are a nation of laws, not of people. Hindi naman porket sinabi ng mayor na sa kanya iyan, siya na ang matutupad (Just because a mayor said it is hers, her arguments will prevail),” he pointed out.
He also scored the City Government of Makati for closing health centers, schools, and police stations in the EMBOs.
He added that the Supreme Court’s decision on Taguig’s jurisdiction is clear: “Very clear na lahat ng isyu ng pagmamay-ari ay pag-uusapan. Kung sa Makati, babayaran. Kung hindi, pag dedesisyunan pa. Pero dapat hindi maantala ang public service (It’s very clear that we need to talk over and address the issue of ownership. If it’s Makati’s, we will pay. If not, then we will decide. But public service should not be derailed),” he stressed.
Good thing, he said, there were no accidents that occurred in Taguig during the holidays. “Thank God walang sunog na nangyari, walang namatay at nasunugan na property (Thank God there was no fire, no one died or properties were damaged in a fire),” the senator said.
At the same time, Cayetano challenged Mayor Binay and the City Government of Makati, to think about the EMBO residents that she claims to love so much.
“You keep saying na mahal na mahal mo ang mga taga EMBO (You keep saying that you love all barangay EMBO residents). Then why are you allowing them to suffer? Don’t let them suffer,” he said addressing Binay.
“You put them in danger by padlocking the fire stations and putting their health in danger by closing the health centers,” he lamented.