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The Manila Police District (MPD) is the agency of the
Philippine National Police The Philippine National Police ( fil, Pambansang Pulisya ng Pilipinas, acronymed as PNP) is the armed national police force in the Philippines. Its national headquarters is located at Camp Crame in Bagong Lipunan ng Crame, Quezon City. Currentl ...
(PNP) responsible for law enforcement in the City of
Manila Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populated ...
. Formerly known as the Western Police District (WPD), the MPD is under the
National Capital Region Police Office The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) is a division of the Philippine National Police (PNP) that has jurisdiction over Metro Manila, also known as the National Capital Region. It is headquartered in Camp Bagong Diwa. History As PC ...
(NCRPO), which also handles the
Quezon City Quezon City (, ; fil, Lungsod Quezon ), also known as the City of Quezon and Q.C. (read in Filipino as Kyusi), is the List of cities in the Philippines, most populous city in the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a populatio ...
, Eastern, Northern and Southern Police Districts.


History


American period

The MPD was created as the Metropolitan Police Force of Manila by Act No. 70 of the
Taft Commission The Taft Commission, also known as the Second Philippine Commission (Filipino language, Filipino: ''Ikalawang Komisyon ng Pilipinas''), was established by United States President William McKinley on March 16, 1900, following the recommendations ...
. An entirely American body, the force was first stationed at the Goldenberg Mansion, San Miguel. Being provost marshal,
Arthur MacArthur, Jr. Arthur MacArthur Jr. (June 2, 1845 – September 5, 1912) was a lieutenant general of the United States Army. He became the military Governor-General of the American-occupied Philippines in 1900; his term ended a year later due to clashes wi ...
was named first Manila police chief. With the enactment of Act No. 183 that established the Manila city charter on July 31, 1901, the force was reorganized and was headed by Capt. George Curry. The Metropolitan Police Force of Manila was renamed into the "Manila Police District," and was initially composed by 357 troops from the American Volunteer Force to the Philippines. The MPD has jurisdiction five miles from the city limits and three miles from the shores to
Manila Bay Manila Bay ( fil, Look ng Maynila) is a natural harbor that serves the Port of Manila (on Luzon), in the Philippines. Strategically located around the Manila, capital city of the Philippines, Manila Bay facilitated commerce and trade between t ...
. This led into disputes with the
Philippine Constabulary The Philippine Constabulary (PC; tl, Hukbóng Pamayapà ng Pilipinas, ''HPP''; es, Policía de Filipinas, ''PF'') was a gendarmerie-type police force of the Philippines from 1901 to 1991, and the predecessor to the Philippine National Po ...
, which had police powers elsewhere in the Philippines. In 1907, the MPD was split into two: the Meisic Police Station north of the Pasig River and the Luneta Police Station south of the river. By 1935, the headquarters was moved to the new
Manila City Hall The Manila City Hall ( fil, Bulwagan ng Lungsod ng Maynila) is the official seat of government of the City of Manila, located in the historic center of Ermita, Manila. It is where the Mayor of Manila holds office and the chambers of the Manil ...
. On March 2, 1936, Antonio Torres, then a member of the
Manila City Council The Manila City Council ( Filipino: Sangguniang Panlungsod ng Maynila) or the city's legislature is composed of 38 councilors, with 36 councilors elected from Manila's six councilor districts (coextensive with the Legislative districts of Manila ...
, was appointed chief, the first Filipino do so. However, in 1942 at the outset of World War II, the Kempetai, the Japanese Military Police, ordered Torres to submit to their authority. After the Battle of Manila, the combined American and Filipino troops reorganized the police force, and Allied forces were appointed chiefs until the appointment of Lamberto Javalera as acting chief of police.


Third Republic

In 1949, the MPD transferred their headquarters for the last time, in a newly constructed building at the corner of San Marcelino and Isaac Peral (now United Nations Avenue); the funding of the reconstruction came from the Philippine Rehabilitation Act of 1948. By this time, the
President of the Philippines The president of the Philippines ( fil, Pangulo ng Pilipinas, sometimes referred to as ''Presidente ng Pilipinas'') is the head of state, head of government and chief executive of the Philippines. The president leads the executive branch of ...
had appointment powers to the office. Notable was the appointment of Ricardo Papa, who organized an anti-smuggling unit that minimized smuggling in the city.


Martial law to the present

On September 21, 1972, president
Ferdinand Marcos Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos Sr. ( , , ; September 11, 1917 – September 28, 1989) was a Filipino politician, lawyer, dictator, and kleptocrat who was the 10th president of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He ruled under martial ...
declared martial law in the country and created the Integrated National Police, with the Philippine Constabulary as its nucleus. On December 20, 1974, James Barbers was appointed Superintendent (Police Chief) of the Western Police District (WPD). Metropolitan Police Force (MPF). On February 26, 1986, Marcos was overthrown after the
People Power Revolution The People Power Revolution, also known as the EDSA Revolution or the February Revolution, was a series of popular demonstrations in the Philippines, mostly in Metro Manila, from February 22 to 25, 1986. There was a sustained campaign of c ...
. A few months later,
Alfredo Lim Alfredo "Fred" Siojo Lim Jr.. (; December 21, 1929 – August 8, 2020) was a Filipino politician and police officer who served as a Senator of the Philippines from 2004 to 2007. He also served as the Mayor of Manila twice: first from 1992 to ...
was appointed chief and increased the number of precincts from six to ten. Lim would later be director of the National Bureau of Investigation, Mayor of Manila and
Senator A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...
. In 1990, the Interior and Local Government Act 1990.was promulgated, that created the
Philippine National Police The Philippine National Police ( fil, Pambansang Pulisya ng Pilipinas, acronymed as PNP) is the armed national police force in the Philippines. Its national headquarters is located at Camp Crame in Bagong Lipunan ng Crame, Quezon City. Currentl ...
, absorbing the Philippine Constabulary. Other notable names who had been named as WPD chief are
Hermogenes Ebdane Hermogenes "Jun" Edejer Ebdane, Jr. (born December 30, 1948) is a Filipino politician and retired police officer with the rank of Director General. He is the Governor of Zambales since 2019, previously held this position from 2010 until 2016. He ...
on November 5, 1993, and
Avelino Razon Avelino "Sonny" Razon Jr. (born September 27, 1952) is a Filipino former police officer and politician who served as Chief of the Philippine National Police from October 1, 2007 to September 28, 2008. He also ran unsuccessfully for Mayor of ...
on June 16, 1996 and December 20, 1999. The two were later named chiefs of the PNP. On July 20, 2005, the WPD reverted to their former name back to the Manila Police District.


Organization

The MPD is organized into eleven (11) police stations and several district support units:


Base Units

;Administrative Support Units * District Tactical Operations Center * District Headquarters Support Unit * District Headquarters Service Unit * District Human Resources and Administration Office * District Internal Affairs Service * District Legal Unit * District Chaplain Service * District Information Technology Unit * District Scene Of the Crime Operatives ;Operations Support Units * District Public Safety Battalion * District Traffic Enforcement Group * District Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit * District Anti-Illegal Drugs - Special Operations Task Group * District Public Information Office * District Highway Patrol Group * Criminal Investigation and Detection Group * District Intelligence Division


Line Units

* MPD Station 1 (Balut Police Station) - Balut, Tondo * MPD Station 2 (Moriones Police Station) - Moriones, Tondo * MPD Station 3 (Sta Cruz Police Station) - Sta Cruz, Manila * MPD Station 4 (Sampaloc Police Station) - Sampaloc, Manila * MPD Station 5 (Ermita Police Station) - Ermita, Manila * MPD Station 6 (Sta Ana Police Station) - Sta Ana, Manila * MPD Station 7 (Abad Santos Police Station) - Jose Abad Santos, Manila * MPD Station 8 (Sta Mesa Police Station) - Sta Mesa, Manila * MPD Station 9 (Malate Police Station) - Malate, Manila * MPD Station 10 (Pandacan Police Station) - Pandacan, Manila * MPD Station 11 (MEISIC Police Station) - Meisic, Manila * MPD Station 12 (Delpan Police Station) - Delpan, Manila * MPD Station 13 (BASECO Police Station) - BASECO, Port Area Manila * MPD Station 14 (Barbosa Police Station) - Bautista St, Quiapo, Manila


Criticism

The PNP in general, and the MPD in particular, is characterized as slow, unfit, trigger-happy and corrupt. Several policemen have been arrested for committing extortion against violators of the law (popularly known as "kotong," hence the term "kotong cop"). Police are also involved in shootouts, or using excessive force against suspects. Recently two issues have been hurled against the MPD. One is the recent exposé of a policeman torturing a suspect in a police precinct in Tondo. The officer who allegedly tortured the suspect was filed with administrative chargers Another was the inept resolution of the
Manila hostage crisis The Manila hostage crisis, officially known as the Rizal Park hostage-taking incident, took place when a disgruntled former Philippine National Police officer named Rolando Mendoza hijacked a tourist bus in Rizal Park, Manila, Philippines, ...
which resulted in the death of 8 tourists from Hong Kong. MPD chief Rolando Magtibay was sacked two days after the failed assault. His replacement, Senior Superintendent Francisco Villaroman, made acting head of the MPD, was replaced after one day. Police did not comment on his removal. However, the ''Philippine Daily Inquirer'' said Villaroman was among police officers charged in the disappearance of two Hong Kong residents in the Philippines in 1998 and 1999. Villaroman said that the matter was heavily politicized, as it was linked to the affairs of the then at-large Senator
Panfilo Lacson Panfilo "Ping" Morena Lacson Sr. (; born June 1, 1948) is a Filipino former politician and police general who served as a Senator for three terms: from 2001 to 2013 and from 2016 to 2022. He was the Director General of the Philippine National ...
.Reuters, Agence France-Presse (Aug 28, 2010). "New chief lasts one day", ''South China Morning Post'' (Hong Kong)


Lists of chiefs

*From establishment to Commonwealth **January 9, 1901:
Arthur MacArthur, Jr. Arthur MacArthur Jr. (June 2, 1845 – September 5, 1912) was a lieutenant general of the United States Army. He became the military Governor-General of the American-occupied Philippines in 1900; his term ended a year later due to clashes wi ...
**July 31, 1901 – 1902: George Curry **1902 – July 1910: John E. Harding **July 1910 – 1911: John Fulton Green (acting) **1911–1913: John E. Harding **1913–1918: George H. Seaver **June 16, 1918 – 1920: Anton Hohmann **1920–1921: Edwin C. Bopp **1921–1922: Gregorio M. Alcid (acting) **March 20, 1922 – about March 2, 1929: John William Green, III **About March 2, 1929 – 1930: Gregorio M. Alcid (acting) **1930: Columbus E. Piatt *From Commonwealth to Western Police District **March 2, 1936:
Antonio C. Torres Sir Antonio C. Torres, KGCR, (born Antonio Torres y Vergara; September 1, 1885 – June 1, 1951) founder and first Supreme Commander of the Order of the Knights of Rizal and first Filipino Chief of Police of the Manila Police Department in 1936. ...
**February 7, 1945: Marcus Ellis Jones **June 1945: Jeremiah Holland **March 1946: Angel Tuazon **July 4, 1946: Lamberto Javalera **1947: Manuel dela Fuente **1948: Eduardo Quintos **January 1, 1952: Dionisio Ojeda **April 10, 1953: Cesar Lucero **January 6, 1954: Telesforo Tenorio **May 10, 1962: Marcos G. Soliman **September 17, 1962: Eduardo Quintos (second time) **April 8, 1965: Eugenio Torres **May 24, 1966: Ricardo Papa **March 14, 1968: Enrique Morales **November 30, 1968: Gerardo Tamayo *As chief of the Western Police District **December 20, 1974: James Barbers **1978: Pedro Dela Paz **1981: Narciso Cabrera **October 3, 1986:
Alfredo Lim Alfredo "Fred" Siojo Lim Jr.. (; December 21, 1929 – August 8, 2020) was a Filipino politician and police officer who served as a Senator of the Philippines from 2004 to 2007. He also served as the Mayor of Manila twice: first from 1992 to ...
**Some time in the 70's to late 80's Colonel ''Hector M Ciria Cruz'' became Chief of Police (WPD) a close friend with Alfredo Lim **December 22, 1989: Ernesto Diokno **August 7, 1992: Oscar Aquino **September 7, 1992. Proceso Almando **December 8, 1992: Romeo O. Odi **November 5, 1993:
Hermogenes Ebdane Hermogenes "Jun" Edejer Ebdane, Jr. (born December 30, 1948) is a Filipino politician and retired police officer with the rank of Director General. He is the Governor of Zambales since 2019, previously held this position from 2010 until 2016. He ...
**June 16, 1996:
Avelino Razon Avelino "Sonny" Razon Jr. (born September 27, 1952) is a Filipino former police officer and politician who served as Chief of the Philippine National Police from October 1, 2007 to September 28, 2008. He also ran unsuccessfully for Mayor of ...
**August 3, 1998: Virtus Gil **December 16, 1998: Efren Fernandez **December 20, 1999:
Avelino Razon Avelino "Sonny" Razon Jr. (born September 27, 1952) is a Filipino former police officer and politician who served as Chief of the Philippine National Police from October 1, 2007 to September 28, 2008. He also ran unsuccessfully for Mayor of ...
(second time) **March 15, 2001: Nicolas Pasinos **July 29, 2002: Pedro Bulaong *As chief of the Manila Police District **August 1, 2006: Danilo Abarzosa **September 24, 2007: Roberto Rosales **April 2, 2009: Rodolfo Magtibay **August 25, 2010: Francisco Villaroman (OIC) **August 27, 2010: Leocadio Santiago, Jr. **About 2012: Alejandro Gutierrez **April 5, 2013: Robert Po (OIC) **2013: Isagani Genabe, Jr. **2014-2015 Rolando Z. Nana **November 18, 2018: Police BGen. Vicente Danao - promoted as regional director, PRO4A. **October 20, 2019: Police BGen. Bernabe M. Balba - promoted as regional director, PRO8. **March 19, 2020: Police BGen. Rolando F. Miranda - promoted as regional director, PRO6. **December 1, 2020: Police BGen. Leo M. Francisco


See also

*
Philippine Constabulary The Philippine Constabulary (PC; tl, Hukbóng Pamayapà ng Pilipinas, ''HPP''; es, Policía de Filipinas, ''PF'') was a gendarmerie-type police force of the Philippines from 1901 to 1991, and the predecessor to the Philippine National Po ...
*
Philippine National Police The Philippine National Police ( fil, Pambansang Pulisya ng Pilipinas, acronymed as PNP) is the armed national police force in the Philippines. Its national headquarters is located at Camp Crame in Bagong Lipunan ng Crame, Quezon City. Currentl ...


References


External links

{{commons category-inline Law enforcement in Metro Manila Local government in Manila Philippine National Police 1901 establishments in the Philippines Government agencies established in 1901