No immediate Makati police takeover of BGC

MANILA, Philippines - There will be no immediate takeover by the Makati Police of the contested Bonifacio Global City (BGC) and Inner Fort areas, the Southern Police District (SPD) clarified Thursday.

SPD director Jose Erwin Villacorte said they are still waiting for guidance from the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) on the matter.

The SPD has jurisdiction over Makatai City and Taguig City which is now locked in a custody battle over the BGC and the Inner Fort areas.

Earlier, Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay urged the SPD to start the process of transferring control over the BGC and the Inner Fort from the Taguig City Police to the Makati City Police.

Meanwhile, the Makati City Police denied reports that there was tension between members of the Makati Police and the Taguig Police on Wednesday night.

The Makati City government is accusing the Taguig City government of allegedly using 50 members of its Public Order and Safety Office (POSO) to "gang-up" on a Makati Police patrol car at the intersection of Lawton St. and Kalayaan at about 7 p.m.

According to Makati Police chief, Senior Superintendent Manuel Lukban, he received information that a "Welcome to BGC Makati" tarpaulin which was installed in the area had been removed.

Lukban said he then ordered the patrol car to check and it was during the inspection that the patrol car was surrounded by the POSO men. Lukban added that the tarpaulin was also installed in the area without the Makati Police being consulted.

"It was put there without our knowledge," he said.

During the incident, the policemen aboard the patrol car radioed for backup and some 25 Makati police officers and a SWAT team arrived. The POSO men were also later backed up by a Taguig Police SWAT team.

Lukban said he later arrived at the scene and was able to pacify all those involved. The POSO men and the police officers later dispersed peacefully, he said.

Lukban also clarified that contrary to reports, the POSO men involved in the incident were not carrying guns.

"I did not see any guns on them," he said.

On August 5, the CA Sixth Division released its ruling dated July 30, 2013 on the long-running territorial dispute between the two cities, upholding Makati’s jurisdiction over the more than 729-hectare portion of Fort Bonifacio that includes the BGC.

Taguig City Mayor Lani Cayetano, however, stressed that the CA decision is not yet final. Cayetano also cautioned Binay to temper his statements and not to escalate the issue.