Newly-proclaimed Makati City Mayor Nancy Binay and re-elected Taguig City Mayor Lani Cayetano. Senate PRIB and Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File

MANILA — Newly-proclaimed Makati City Mayor Nancy Binay is eyeing a friendlier negotiation with the local government of Taguig City to settle their decades-long territorial row. 

Binays retain Makati City throne as Nancy defeats sister’s husband

Binay, an outgoing senator, will inherit the problem from her sister Abby Binay, who engaged in a word war with Taguig Mayor Lani Cayetano following the landmark Supreme Court ruling that favored the latter.

"Marami pa kaming dapat pag-usapan, kasi wala pang writ of execution at may mga asset ang Makati na nasa Taguig ngayon. Tapos moving forward, magkapit-bayan kami so mahirap na yung kapit-bayan mo ay kaaway mo," Binay said.

Asked how her approach would be different from her sister's, Binay said she would engage in a dialogue with the other camp to amicably settle their dispute. 

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"Ang sa akin ay there's open communication, I am more than willing to talk to her. If may isang bagay na natutunan ako sa Senado, kailangan laging may open line, may room for communication. Paano namin sosolusyunan ang problema kung di kami mag-uusap," Binay said.

Binay defeated her brother-in-law Luis Campos, Abby's husband, in the midterm polls.

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For decades, Taguig City and Makati City have been at odds over the ownership of the disputed properties, as well as the renowned financial district BGC, also known as Fort Bonifacio or The Fort.

Following battles in lower courts which started in 1993, the Supreme Court in December 2021 ruled that the area's territorial jurisdiction falls under Taguig City. The Makati City government then filed an omnibus motion for reconsideration before the SC.

But in a resolution in September 2022 and made public in April 2023, the High Court's Special Third Division denied with finality Makati City's motion for reconsideration, saying that the basic issues it raised had been resolved and "duly considered" by the court in its earlier decision.

Taguig court orders Makati local gov’t to turn over EMBO facilities

The city government of Taguig had earlier criticized Makati for stopping the operations of health centers and lying-in clinics in the 10 EMBO.

The jurisdiction over these barangays were transferred to Taguig City from Makati City following decades of court battles that concluded at the Supreme Court. 

—Reports from Jeff Caparas and Job Manahan, ABS-CBN News

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