Roxas: Taguig cops in charge of BGC

MANILA, Philippines - Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas yesterday rebuffed the call of Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay for the Philippine National Police (PNP) to transfer the control over the contested Bonifacio Global City (BGC) from the Taguig police to the Makati police.

Roxas, in a television interview, said both the Taguig and Makati police should follow the “status quo” guidance, meaning that until the Court of Appeals (CA) issues its final decision on the BGC issue, the Taguig City police has jurisdiction.

“The point is that the police should not be involved in such disputes. We should wait for a clear order from the courts,” he said.

He ordered the National Capital Region Police Office to maintain peace and order in the BGC, noting that NCRPO director Chief Superintendent Marcelo Garbo Jr. is obliged under the law to promote a peaceful environment in the area pending the resolution of the dispute in court.

Binay earlier said the Makati City government will file contempt charges against Garbo for refusing to have Makati police exercise jurisdiction over the BGC. He said Garbo defied a CA ruling returning jurisdiction over the Inner Fort area, which includes the BGC, to Makati.

Senior Superintendent Reuben Theodore Sindac,  PNP public information office chief, said the dispute is a sensitive political issue.

“Let’s leave it at that, we can’t comment and though some police matters are involved, that it’s up to their respective leaders to resolve,” he said.

Sindac said the Southern Police District, which has jurisdiction over the two cities, can intervene if “peace and order has to be restored by a police force.”

Taguig Mayor Lani Cayetano said a motion of reconsideration filed by Taguig before the CA would stay the execution of the appellate court’s July 30 decision.