SPD: No BGC takeover yet

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

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

The SPD has jurisdiction over the cities of Makati and Taguig, which are locked in 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 police to the Makati police.

Banner brawl

Meanwhile, the Makati police denied reports that there was tension between their members and those of the Taguig police Wednesday night over the removal of a banner.

The Makati City government is accusing Taguig City government of allegedly making around 50 Public Order and Safety Office (POSO) employees “gang up” on a Makati police patrol team at the intersection of Lawton and Kalayaan street at around 7 p.m.

Makati police chief Senior Superintendent Manuel Lukban said he received information that a “Welcome to BGC Makati” banner put up in the area had been removed and ordered a patrol team to check.

He said it was during the area inspection that the patrol team was surrounded by Taguig’s POSO employees.

Lukban added that the banner was installed without the Makati police being consulted. “It was put there without our knowledge,” he said.

During the incident, the policemen in the patrol car radioed for backup and 25 Makati police officers and a Special Weapons and Tactics team arrived. Taguig’s POSO employees were also later backed up by a SWAT team from the Taguig police.

Lukban said he later arrived at the scene and was able to pacify all those involved.

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

On Aug. 5, the Court of Appeals (CA) upheld Makati’s jurisdiction over the more than 729 hectares of Fort Bonifacio land, including 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.