MAKATI City government employees have filed charges of illegal detention and grave coercion against Taguig City Mayor Laarni Cayetano and other city officials and personnel following a standoff at the Makati City Park and Garden situated in the villages now under Taguig’s territorial jurisdiction.
Cited as respondents in the complaints were Mayor Cayetano, city administrator Jose Luis Montales, Maria Theresa Veloso, Danny Cañaveral, and several John Does, who introduced themselves as personnel of the Taguig City government during the confrontation.
Three counts of illegal detention and one count of grave coercion have been lodged against the Taguig officials at the Office of the City Prosecutors in Taguig.
Three complainants charged that they were harassed and detained against their will by several Taguig personnel who claimed to have acted on orders of Mayor Cayetano.
They said three separate incidents occurred repeatedly on March 1, 2 and 3, 2024, all in the vicinity of the Makati Park and Garden.
One of them stated that on March 1, Friday, several men arrived in front of the park, introduced themselves as personnel of the Taguig government, chained and padlocked the gate, and blocked all entrances to the park while he and his co-employees were still inside. The group warned them not to attempt to get out, while prohibiting entry to the park.
Another employee complained of being illegally detained for one day on Mar. 2 at the Makati Park Amphitheater, while another complainant charged that the following day, around 6:30 am, a Taguig patrol vehicle arrived and removed the tarpaulin installed earlier by Makati City, replacing it with a new one stating a closure order from Taguig on the basis that the facility had no business permit.
Makati local officials stated that Article 267 of the Revised Penal Code defines kidnapping and serious illegal detention is committed by any person who shall kidnap or detain another, or in any other manner deprive him of his liberty.
Article 286, on the other hand, describes grave coercion as a crime
committed by any person who, without any authority of law, shall, by means of violence, threats, or intimidation, prevent another from
doing something not prohibited by law, or compel him to do something against his will, whether it be right or wrong.
The Taguig government ordered the closure of the Makati Park and Garden, a public facility under its jurisdiction allegedly for operating without permits from the local government.
The closure was issued in line with Taguig’s authority under the Local Government Code, jurisprudence, and local ordinances to regulate any business, trade, or activity within the city through issuance of a Mayor’s permit after submission of documents and payment of fees and taxes.
“The said park and garden, which has been effectively closed as a park by Makati and used as garage for its heavy equipment and storage for various objects, is subject to Taguig’s jurisdiction which has the right to possess and administer the same notwithstanding Makati’s unlawful possession,” the order stated.
The park is situated in Barangays West Rembo and Cembo, the villages now under the jurisdiction of Taguig under a Supreme Court ruling in 2022.