Taguig government says it has jurisdiction over Palar

The municipality of Taguig emphasized yesterday that it has jurisdiction over the Palar area in Fort Bonifacio, following reports that armed Taguig police stormed the area disputed by the town and Makati City where a police sub-station is to be constructed.

Moreover, residents of Palar in Barangay Southside recognize that it is now part of Taguig, said Ana Santos, public information officer and spokesperson for Taguig Mayor Sigfrido Tinga. She further explained that Palar is divided into four areas, with only one recognizing Makati to have jurisdiction over it.

"The residents have earlier asked the mayor for additional police visibility because the area is quite dangerous. Mayor Tinga has just answered their call, Santos said.

Chief Superintendent Jose Gutierez Jr., Southern Police District (SPD) director, said he has assigned the Taguig police to take over the area, while which local government has jurisdiction over it remains an issue.

"Taguig is nearer to the area compared to Makati," Gutierrez explained. He added that Palar is known to be a dangerous area, where residents are usually armed and do not hesitate to attack even policemen. The Taguig Police Community Precinct 7 is located in Fort Bonifacio.

Gutierrez said he would meet Superintendents Rodolfo Sison and Jovito Gutierrez, police chiefs of Taguig and Makati, respectively to settle the problem on what police unit will have jurisdiction over Palar.

Heavily armed men led by Sison reportedly stormed the area to spearhead the construction of a police sub-station.

Southside Barangay Captain Juanito de la Cruz and his followers allegedly threatened "bloodshed" if the construction of the sub-station pushes through, a statement from Taguig said. "To avert any untoward incident, Sison and his men secured the area and talked to residents in an attempt to pacify De la Cruz and his group," the statement further claimed.

De la Cruz earlier said there was no prior notice given to barangay officials about the project.

Makati continues to stake its claim on Barangays Southside and Northside, saying that its residents are all registered in the city and that it has provided all the maintenance and services in the two barangays.

But the Taguig statement argued that the Court of Appeals has upheld the injunction order issued by the Pasig Regional Trial Court (RTC) in July 1994, "which enjoined Makati from exercising jurisdiction over, making improvements on, or otherwise treating as part of its territory the ‘inner Fort’ or ‘military camp proper’."