Cayetano vows to 'get to the bottom' of padlocking of EMBO fire stations

Senator Alan Peter Cayetano has vowed to "get to the bottom" of the padlocking of fire stations in the City of Taguig by the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), saying the issue will not end even if the stations are reopened.

In a Facebook Live broadcast on January 5, 2024, a visibly upset Cayetano said he will call for a Senate hearing on the matter and told the BFP to give a full report.

"We will have a hearing. I will get to the bottom of this. May tsansa pa kayo sa Bureau of Fire (Protection) by correcting and repenting," he said, explaining that the word "repent" means to change the way one thinks.

"I don't want your excuses. You give a full report of what happened," he added.

Cayetano said he only found out about the padlocking of fire stations on New Year's Day when he and his wife, City of Taguig Mayor Lani Cayetano, visited the police stations of Barangays West Rembo and Comembo.

"First day of the year na bumalik ang mga EMBO sa Taguig after decades. Inimbita kami ni Lani sa West Rembo and Comembo at nag-boodle fight kasama ang mga police. Pagtingin namin, sa same compound, nakakandado ang fire station," he said.

The senator said this was despite the promise made by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) through a Supreme Court resolution in December that the EMBO fire stations, which had previously been part of the City of Makati, would be transferred to the City of Taguig on January 1, 2024.

The senator said he discovered that the stations had already been padlocked before the end of 2023 with neither Makati nor the BFP informing Taguig.

"Nu'ng December 31, nakakandado na pala ang mga fire station, wala tayong kamalay-malay. At alam naman po natin, red alert kapag December 31, dahil maraming gumagamit ng mga paputok," he said.

"I'm very emotional about this, kasi can you imagine, kung may sunog na nangyari diyan, hindi lang po y'ung mga gamit, pati y'ung buhay ng mga tao maaapektuhan," he added.

Cayetano said he found out later that the fire stations were ordered padlocked on orders of City of Makati Mayor Abby Binay, who had earlier said her city would abide by the Supreme Court ruling that placed the 10 EMBOs under the City of Taguig.

The senator said he immediately reached out to the Director of the Bureau of Fire regarding the issue but nothing came of it.

"Ipinangako ng director that afternoon na tatanggalin ang kandado at papapasukin na ang BFP ng Taguig. Pagkacheck ko kanina (Friday), wala pa rin," he said.

Cayetano said when he talked to Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos, he was told that Mayor Binay had claimed the fire stations belonged to Makati.

Venting his ire on Binay, the senator said what she did was "not acceptable."

"We are a nation of laws, not of people. Hindi naman porke't sinabi ng mayor na sa kanya 'yan, siya na ang matutupad," he said.

Cayetano said it was a good thing no accidents occurred during the holidays. "Thank God walang sunog na nangyari, walang namatay at nasunugan na property."

Expressing gratitude to Abalos for promising to resolve the matter within the day, Cayetano nevertheless said the BFP is still not off the hook.

"I am very very disgusted and very very upset at the Bureau of Fire (Protection) and I promise all of you, I will get to the bottom of this. Hindi pa tapos 'tong issue na 'to," he said.

Cayetano, nangakong iimbestigahan ang pagkakadena sa EMBO fire stations

Nangako si Senador Alan Peter Cayetano na iimbestigahan ang nangyaring pagkakadena sa fire stations ng City of Taguig ng Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) at sinabing hindi siya titigil magbukas man ang mga ito.

Sa kanyang Facebook Live noong January 5, 2024, lubos na ikinadismaya ni Cayetano ang pangyayari at sinabing ipapatawag ang mga opisyal ng BFP upang magbigay ng full report sa pamamagitan ng isang Senate hearing.

"We will have a hearing. I will get to the bottom of this. May tsansa pa kayo sa Bureau of Fire (Protection) by correcting and repenting," wika niya,

"I don't want your excuses. You give a full report of what happened," dagdag niya.

Sinabi ni Cayetano na kanyang nalaman ang pagkakadena sa fire stations noong araw ng Bagong Taon nang bumisita sila ni City of Taguig Mayor Lani Cayetano sa police stations ng mga Barangay ng West Rembo at Comembo.

"First day of the year na bumalik ang mga EMBO sa Taguig after decades. Inimbita kami ni Lani sa West Rembo and Comembo at nag-boodle fight kasama ang mga police. Pagtingin namin, sa same compound, nakakandado ang fire station," wika niya.

Sinabi ng senador na ito'y sa kabila ng pangako ng Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) sa pamamagitan ng Supreme Court resolution noong Disyembre na ang mga EMBO fire stations na dating bahagi ng Makati ay ililipat na sa hurisdiksyon ng Taguig pagsapit ng January 1, 2024.

Dismayado ring sinabi ni Cayetano na nalaman niya lamang na isinara na ang mga ito ng Makati bago pa man matapos ang 2023 nang walang pasabi sa Taguig.

"Nu'ng December 31, nakakandado na pala ang mga fire station, wala tayong kamalay-malay. At alam naman po natin, red alert kapag December 31, dahil maraming gumagamit ng mga paputok," wika niya.

"I'm very emotional about this, kasi can you imagine, kung may sunog na nangyari diyan, hindi lang po y'ung mga gamit, pati y'ung buhay ng mga tao maaapektuhan," dagdag niya.

Sinabi ni Cayetano na nalaman niya na ang pagkakadena sa mga ito ay utos ni City of Makati Mayor Abby Binay, na nauna nang nangakong gagalangin ang desisyon ng Korte Suprema na ang 10 sampung Barangay ng EMBO ay pagmamay-ari ng Taguig.

Ani Cayetano, agad niyang kinausap ang Director ng Bureau of Fire Protection ngunit hindi ito nakipagtulungan sa senador.

"Ipinangako ng director that afternoon na tatanggalin ang kandado at papapasukin na ang BFP ng Taguig. Pagkacheck ko kanina (Friday), wala pa rin," wika niya.

Ibinahagi rin ni Cayetano na nang makausap niya si Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos, sinabi nito na si Mayor Binay mismo ang nagsabi na ang mga fire stations ay pagmamay-ari ng Makati.

Labis itong ikanidismaya ni Cayetano at sinabing ito ay hindi katanggap-tanggap.

"We are a nation of laws, not of people. Hindi naman porke't sinabi ng mayor na sa kanya 'yan, siya na ang matutupad," wika niya.

Nagpasalamat naman si Cayetano na walang malalang insidente ang nangyari sa selebrayson ng bagong taon at sinabing, "Thank God walang sunog na nangyari, walang namatay at nasunugan na property."

Gayong nagpasalamat si Cayetano kay Abalos sa maagap nitong pagresolba sa pangyayari, inihayag niya na iimbestigahan pa rin nito ang BFP.

"I am very very disgusted and very very upset at the Bureau of Fire (Protection) and I promise all of you, I will get to the bottom of this. Hindi pa tapos 'tong issue na 'to," wika niya.