Makati City Mayor Abby Binay on Wednesday blasted the Commission on Elections (Comelec) over its decision to prohibit residents of the 10 enlisted men’s barrio (EMBO) barangays — now under Taguig’s jurisdiction — from voting for their representative in Congress.

This comes after Comelec chairperson George Erwin Garcia revealed that residents of Pembo, Comembo, Cembo, South Cembo, West Rembo, East Rembo, Pitogo, Rizal, Northside and Southside — formerly all under the jurisdiction of Makati City — will be able to vote in the 2025 polls for local and national elective positions except for the House representative position.

Binay stressed that both city councilors and members of Congress are elected by legislative districts.

“It seems that the poll body has forgotten that city councilors are elected by legislative district. If the EMBO residents can vote for city councilors, this means they are part of a legislative district. Then why can’t they vote for their Congressional representative?” Binay said.

Earlier, the Comelec justified its decision by saying that it does not know in which of Taguig’s two legislative districts do EMBO residents belong.

To recall, the EMBO barangays were part of Makati’s second district before the Supreme Court said they are part of Taguig City.

“The right to be represented in Congress is a basic principle in a democracy. The decision denies the EMBO residents of this right,” said Binay, who also stressed that while the former Makati residents has already lost their benefits they previously receive, they have also been deprived of their right to vote for their representative in Congress.

Binay also urged Taguig to fight for the right of EMBO residents to vote for their congressional representative.

“To simply accept the Comelec decision is to sustain an injustice and be a party to the derogation of their rights as citizens,” Binay said.