Abby Binay, Pia Cayetano ‘okay’ in same slate amid clan row – Tiangco

MIDTERM ELECTIONS Qualified “Embo” voters get to elect their choices to the Taguig City council but not their representatives to the House of Representatives. —INQUIRER PHOTO

DAVAO DEL NORTE — Senatorial aspirants Makati City mayor Abby Binay and Sen. Pia Cayetano are “okay” with being in the same slate despite the rift between the political clans they belong to.

Navotas City Rep. Toby Tiangco, campaign manager of Alyansa sa Bagong Pilipinas, made this remark in a television interview by One News on Friday.

“Okay naman sila. I don’t know why they make issues between the [two],” Tiangco said.

Such a question became material in light of the dispute between Makati and Taguig — ruled by political families Binay and Cayetano — on jurisdiction over 10 “embo” villages.

“You have to understand there’s nothing personal, ‘di ba? If you’re a Binay, you have to protect the rights of the citizens of Makati. If you are a Cayetano, you have to protect the rights of the citizens of Taguig,” Tiangco pointed out.

The Supreme Court declared that Taguig has the rightful authority over Fort Bonifacio Military Reservation — where Bonifacio Global City and the Embo barangays are located — and not Makati.

The high court stated that that 10 barangays in Makati’s second district, “based on historical, documentary and testimonial evidence, indeed fall within the territorial jurisdiction of Taguig.”

These barangays are namely Pembo, Comembo, Cembo, South Cembo, West Rembo, East Rembo, Pitogo, Rizal, Post Proper Northside and Post Proper Southside including Bonifacio Global City.

Senator Alan Peter Cayetano even had a shouting match with Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri in late September over the Concurrent Resolution No. 23.

This resolution would include 10 Embo barangays in the two legislative districts of Taguig and Pateros; and this was reportedly being done so as not to disenfranchise the registered voters there.

In July, Cayetano and Abby’s sister, Sen. Nancy Binay, also had a heated debate over the construction of the New Senate Building in Taguig City after the lady senator questioned its cost.

Mayor Binay was also asked about this row when she filed her Certificate of Candidacy.

She said she has no problems working with Sen. Pia, and when it comes to Sen. Alan Peter, she said she is not dwelling on the matter.