Ayala hustles back to life

It’s back to normal in Makati City a day after rebel soldiers staged a mutiny and seized an apartment complex at the heart of the financial district.

Except for a SWAT van and several SWAT members and a bomb sniffing dog in front of the Oakwood Premiere and the main entrance of Glorietta 4 in Ayala, there was no reminder of the 22-hour stand-off that gripped the nation Sunday.

Oakwood is back to its swanky look, with its low lights and expensive furniture at the entrance. Last Sunday, it was dark and filled with the rebel soldiers’ rations and ammunitions.

Foreign guests were seen by The STAR going inside the luxurious apartment complex and Ayala Center said it has received several inquiries and reservations as well.

Some of the Oakwood guests who were relocated to other hotels last Sunday were also back, an Ayala employee told The STAR.

Employees of a neighboring mall also resumed their labor strike.

Glorietta 4, which opened at 10 a.m., bustled with shoppers, locals, foreigners and even children.

Yesterday afternoon, event organizer Enav Logistics was prepping up the mall’s activity center for the launch of BPI bank’s newest promo.

"We cancelled it last Sunday but finally decided to push through with it. The date is very important to the promo," said Janice Balgemino of Enav.

She and her colleagues said they were not worried about security. "It’s the safest place now," they said.

A couple who was having snacks at a coffee shop said they were going window shopping. "Na-miss ko yung isang araw na hindi nakapunta dito," the woman laughed while her male companion said there was no reason to be scared anymore.

But Makati Public Safety Assistance (MAPSA) enforcer, Bonifacio Buluran Jr., who was stationed in front of a mall, said he observed there were less people yesterday compared to other Mondays.

Southern Police District (SPD) director Chief Supt. Jose Gutierrez Jr. assured that Makati will continue to be safe for residents, businessmen, and diplomats.

Gutierrez said the buildings of Oakwood, Glorietta and Rustans were thoroughly searched for bombs that could have been left behind.

Gutierrez noted that SPD bomb ordnance experts had to look for one bomb that was unaccounted for a the rebel soldiers were brought back to barracks.

It was finally recovered in a plant box in front of Oakwood.

Gutierrez said the anti-personnel bombs were real and command detonated. The mutineers said they rigged the buildings with bombs for their protection.

Gutierrez said no properties were damaged and all valuables were accounted for.

However, the mutineers would still be charged with robbery after they disarmed three security guards of their service firearms and took three handheld radios, Gutierrez said.

In a statement, City Mayor Jejomar Binay said he would meet with "the city’s private sector and concerned national agencies to map out strategies to assure investors and bring back foreign visitors" to the city.

Binay said he was confident Makati would be able to regain investors’ confidence after the mutiny.

In the December 1989 coup attempt, rebels soldiers led by the Reform the Armed Forces Movement (RAM) and the Young Officers Union (YOU) took control of the central business district for a few days.

Former Armed Forces chief of staff, now Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) director, retired Gen. Dionisio Santiago said Makati is a strategic place for those who want to disrupt the government.

"You strike where you know it would hurt the government and that’s the economy. And Makati is home to the largest foreign and local businesses," he said.