Senator Alan Peter Cayetano on Friday expressed outrage and disgust 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.
This followed his discovery of padlocked fire stations that he said could have ended in tragedy during the holiday season.
In a Facebook Live on his official page, Cayetano said the fire stations were ordered padlocked by City of Makati Mayor Abby Binay despite having earlier said her city will abide by the Supreme Court ruling that placed the 10 EMBOs under the City of Taguig.
He said aside from the fire stations, Makati had also closed health centers, schools, and police stations in the EMBOs.
“Mukhang sa lipunan natin nawawala na y’ung tama is tama and mali is mali. The issue is that the people of Taguig were put in grave danger n’ung Christmas Eve until now because kinandado ang mga fire station sa EMBO. Napa kadelikado ang nangyari na inabandona ng BFP (Bureau of Fire Protection) ang mga fire station sa EMBO barangays,” the senator said.
Cayetano said 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,” he said.
Cayetano said this meant that on December 31, at the height of of the New Year celebration, “nakakandado na pala ang mga fire station.”
“Wala tayong kamalay-malay at alam naman po natin na red alert kapag December 31 dahil napakaraming gumagamit ng mga paputok,” he angrily added.
Cayetano said a resident also approached him and told him that someone had died due to lack of personnel and health facilities.
“May magulang na pumunta sa amin na may namatay sa kanila dahil 45 minutes naghihintay ng ambulansya. Wala daw driver ng ambulansya ng barangay,” he said.
Cayetano said he called up the Director of Bureau of Fire regarding this but to no avail. He said he learned that the padlocking of fire stations was under the order of Mayor Abby Binay.
“Ipinangako ng director that afternoon na tatanggalin ang kandado at papapasukin na ang BFP ng Taguig. Pagkacheck ko kanina (Friday), wala pa rin. Kahapon nag meeting sila sa City Hall ng Makati. When I talked to (DILG) Secretary Benhur (Abalos) earlier, sabi daw ni Mayor Abby, sila daw may-ari nung fire stations,” he explained.
Cayetano seethed over how the Makati mayor continues to act on this issue. “Hindi acceptable sa akin iyan. We are a nation of laws, not of people. Hindi naman porket sinabi ng mayor na sa kanya iyan, siya na ang matutupad,” he said.
He added that the SC decision 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,” he said.
Cayetano said that the good thing was that no accidents occurred during the holidays. “Thank God walang sunog na nangyari, walang namatay at nasunugan na property.”
Challenge to Makati gov’t, DOH, BFP
To get to the bottom of this, 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. Then why are you allowing them to suffer? Don’t let them suffer. You put them in danger by padlocking the fire stations and putting their health in danger by closing the health centers,” he said, addressing Binay.
He also addressed Health Secretary Teddy Herbosa, who changed his mind in addressing the health center issues in EMBOs for fear of being sued.
“Man up. Gawin mo trabaho mo sa Department of Health,” Cayetano said.
Meanwhile, he thanked Abalos for ensuring the smooth transition of policemen from Makati to Taguig, and for promising to remove the locks in EMBO fire stations.
“I’d like to thank Sec. Benhur, although spirited ang aming pag-uusap kanina, y’ung promise niya na this (padlocked fire stations) will be resolved within the hour. I am very very disgusted and upset with the BFP and I promise all of you that I will get to the bottom of this. Hindi pa tapos itong issue na ito, but thank you Sec. Abalos for finding a solution here,” he said.
Wrapping his Facebook Live, Cayetano said public service should be put first before politics.
“Hindi tungkol sa politika ito kundi public service. Bati-bati tayo ng ‘Happy New Year’ sa lahat tapos ikakandado ninyo ang health center, fire stations, pati mga basketball courts…Kung ano ang mga facilities sa EMBO ay gagamitin para sa kanila, hindi bebenta o pagkakakitaan ‘yan. Hindi isasara, gagamitin para sa kanila,” he said.
“God created the government to do good and prevent evil. Evil ang sunog, kapag hindi ginamot ang tao, at kapag hindi ipinaaral ang mga tao. Stop the people who are preventing that,” he added.
