Taguig mayor: BGC is still ours

MANILA, Philippines – Taguig City Mayor Lani Cayetano won’t give up Bonifacio Global City (BGC) just yet.

The lady mayor stressed in a press briefing Wednesday that the city government will not yet turn over BGC to Makati City, insisting that the Court of Appeals' (CA) decision is not yet final and executory.

"Let's make it very clear that the decision is not yet final and executory. Taguig will continue to exercise its jurisdiction over Fort Bonifacio," said Cayetano.

The appellate court has ruled that the 729-hectare Fort Bonifacio is part of Makati City along with the barangays Cembo, South Cembo, West Cembo, East Cembo, Comembo, Pembo and Pitogo.

Related stories: CA: Fort Bonifacio is part of Makati

Cayetano also called on her constituents to continue transacting with the Taguig City hall.

Meanwhile, the municipality of Pateros also joined the “tug-of-war” of the commercial district.

Related story: Pateros also claiming Bonifacio Global City

Pateros Mayor Jaime "Joey" Medina said in a radio interview that they have also claims for BGC.

"Ang kini-claim po ng bayan ng Pateros ay ang kabuuan po ng Global City at pati po 'yung mga pinag-aagawan po ng Makati at Taguig," Medina said in a radio interview Wednesday.

Medina, however, said that his municipality also has a pending case before the Taguig Regional Trial Court since 2012, where they are claiming ownership over the commercial district based on historical data.

The mayor said that the case has been active since the 1980s and that it has also reached the Supreme Court, but the case was referred back to the lower court.