Binay wants Inner Fort area formally turned over to Makati police

MANILA, Philippines - Makati City Mayor Jejomar "Erwin" Binay on Tuesday urged the Southern Police District (SPD) to formalize the turnover of police jurisdiction on the Inner Fort area from the Taguig police to the Makati Police Department.

Binay, who was the guest of honor at the 112th Police Service Anniversary Celebration at the SPD headquarters in Fort Bonifacio, emphasized that Makati “is determined to uphold its jurisdiction over these areas.”

“The Makati Police now has jurisdiction over the inner Fort and other areas covered by the Court decision. I expect the SPD, through the leadership of General (Jose Erwin) Villacorte, to issue the necessary directives to formalize the turnover from the Taguig police to the Makati Police Department, in compliance with the lawful order of the Court of Appeals,” Binay said.

Binay said the Makati City government has already informed the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) of its intention to immediately assume jurisdiction over the 729-hectare portion of Fort Bonifacio.

“As agents of the law, I am sure you are well aware of the fact that an injunction order restrains a party from performing a certain act. When the Pasig RTC issued an injunction in 1994, it stopped Makati from exercising jurisdiction over these areas. With the Court of Appeals lifting the injunction, Makati can now resume exercising its rightful jurisdiction. It cannot get any simpler than that,” Binay said.

Binay also said he was glad that during the SPD’s last command conference, the SPD Legal Department agreed with Makati, as "there can be no other way of interpreting the decision of the Court."

Taguig Mayor Lani Cayetano had earlier called on Binay to temper his statements on the transfer of the contested Bonifacio Global City to his jurisdiction saying the recent ruling of the Court of Appeals (CA) is not yet final.

"'Wag naman po sanang ganun. Wag naman po sanang padalus-dalos. 'Wag naman po sanang nagmamadali dahil alam naman po natin na mayroon naming proseso na pagdadaanan ito. Pero kung ipipilit po nila yan, lalabag din po iyan sa batas. (He should not be like that . He knows that there is a process to be followed. But if he would insist, the he would be violating the law)" she said.

"Kami po ay nakikiusap. Huwag naman pong padalus-dalos. Huwag naman pong agad-agad. Huwag naman pong minamadali," she added.

Last month, the COurt of Appeals declared as constitutional Presidential Proclamation No. 2475 of President Ferdinand Marcos in 1986 and Proclamation No. 518 of President Corazon Aquino in 1990 declaring the 729-hectare Fort Bonifacio within the jurisdiction of Makati.

It reversed a 2008 decision of the Pasig regional trial court declaring the seven military barangays and Inner Fort barangays, including the high-end Bonifacio Global City, within the jurisdiction of Taguig.

The CA lifted the Pasig court’s 1994 preliminary injunction in favor of Taguig’s claim.

It also ordered Taguig to immediately cease and desist from exercising jurisdiction within the disputed area and return it to Makati.

The CA said the presidential proclamations did not alter boundaries but confirmed that Fort Bonifacio is under the jurisdiction of Makati.