MANILA, Philippines - The legal battle over the ownership of the Bonifacio Global City (BGC) is not only between Taguig City and Makati City as Pateros also lays claim on the commercial district.
"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," Pateros Mayor Jaime "Joey" Medina said in a radio interview Wednesday.
The Court of Appeals' Sixth Division on Monday reversed an earlier ruling by the Pasig Regional Trial Court, bringing back the jurisdiction of the BGC to the Makati City government.
The appellate court stated that villages Cembo, South Cembo, East Rembo, West Rembo, Comembo, Pembo and Pitogo as well as the Inner Fort area encompassing Global City is rightly under Makati.
Related: CA: Fort Bonifacio is part of Makati
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,
"Ang claim ng bayan ng Pateros d'yan sa lupang 'yan, ang tawag po namin diyan ay ang aming Barrio Mamangkat noong unang panahon," Medina said.
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.
"Hanggang ngayon ang aming claim ay dinidinig sa husgado kaya buhay na buhay pa rin po ang claim ng bayan ng Pateros," he said.