(Image from PTV 4)
(Video of the padlocked door provided by Taguig PIO)
In a Facebook live streaming video by Senator Alan Peter Cayetano on January 5, he condemned the shutting down of the fire stations in the EMBO barangay, especially when they were on red alert due to the New Year's celebrations.
(Screenshot from the Facebook live video of Senator Allan Peter Cayetano)
"By December 31, the fire stations were already locked up. We were oblivious while we were on red alert due to the fireworks. What did the fire chief of Makati do? He left, locked it up, and didn't wait for Taguig to transition. What did the regional director do? Was he sleeping on the job? There was no coordination there. So think about it, from December to January 1. Luckily, no fires broke out there," the senator emotionally stated. (Click the video below)
(Facebook Live video of Senator Allan Peter Cayetano)
The senator and his wife, Taguig City Mayor Lani Cayetano, only found out about the closure of fire stations in Barangay West Rembo and Barangay Comembo on January 1 when they were invited to a boodle fight with the police.
(Photo from Taguig PIO)
On January 2, the senator called the director of BFP to ask why the aforementioned fire stations in the EMBO barangays were locked up.
The BFP director reportedly promised him that they would be opened and that the station personnel would also report.
However, when the senator checked the same fire stations again on January 5, they were still padlocked.
"I'm very disgusted and very upset with the bureau of fire and I promise all of you I will get to the bottom of this, this issue is not over yet," Cayetano stated.
Only when Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos intervened were the fire stations in West Rembo and Comembo reopened.
"The Supreme Court decision is very clear. It's also very clear that all issues on ownership will be discussed. If it's truly Makati's, it will be paid. If not, it won't. But public service should not be interrupted," Cayetano concluded.
