MANILA — Senator Alan Peter Cayetano took center stage during Tuesday’s proposed 2024 national budget presentation of the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC), zeroing in on the Taguig-Makati land ownership row.

Sen. Cayetano, husband of Taguig Mayor Lani Cayetano, showed a copy of the Department of Education-issued memorandum, which supposedly states the transfer of several schools in Makati to the jurisdiction of Taguig.

Saying in jest that his wife would get mad at him if he will not ask questions related to the Taguig-Makati row, Cayetano stressed the former’s jurisdiction over the area, thus the need to heed the DepEd’s order.

“DepEd also issued memorandum transfer of schools to Taguig. No need of writ of execution,” he pointed out.

• More questions raised over SC decision on Makati-Taguig territorial row

He also stressed the issue of “jurisdiction.”

“Exercise jurisdiction, no one has to tell Taguig to exercise jurisdiction and nobody has to tell Makati to stop exercising jurisdiction because it's a preliminary injunction made permanent,” the senator said.

Cayetano likewise called on Bureau of Internal Revenue Deputy Commissioner Maridur Rosario to order Makati to turn over to Taguig all its tax records.

“I will also request the BIR to instruct the BIR Makati to turn over to BIR Taguig that area in fulfillment of the Supreme Court decision. And may I have a copy of that memo when I discussed it with proper authorities?” he addressed Rosario.

“On our part, computerized ang BIR. It’s simple ang gagawin,” Rosario replied.

Part of Cayetano’s inquiry was Makati City’s P1.3 billion deficiency in taxes which the Supreme Court has ordered to be settled.

Rosario has committed to first look into the BIR records, before reporting back the status to him.

Cayetano then asked Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman’s commitment that they would immediately execute the intent of the DepEd order, specifically, with respect to the concerned schools’ funding issue.

“Can I get a commitment from the DBM they will execute the right memos for the following items: Number one that all departments, funds for the ‘embos,’ whether DOH, DepEd, etc. will now be in the 2024 budget be under the jurisdiction of the department dealing with Taguig,” Cayetano inquired.

“For example, (Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses) na 2023 nandon pa sa district of Makati, nilipat na sa district of Taguig. If hindi nila kaya this year, okay lang, city of Taguig na sasagot. But we want the memo,” he said.

Pangandaman said, "they will draft and issue maybe a circular letter to make it standardized.”

The city of Makati earlier said the local government of Taguig must get a writ of execution to "effect the transfer of jurisdiction" of the pending court cases in the 10 barangays covered by the Supreme Court decision on the two cities' long-standing land dispute.

The Taguig local government described as "fake news" the Makati government's previous claims on their transition activities for the 10 "embo" barangays covered by the Supreme Court decision.

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