Security agency exec denies Davao hospital's accusations

A SECURITY agency officer accused of leading its members to resist eviction from the Davao Doctors Hospital (DDH) said they did not have any intention to create trouble during Monday's replacement of guards from the new security agency.

Joseph Ramirez, Davao-based security officer of 8 Silver Security Agency and Allied Services, denied all the accusations hurled against them by the DDH management and the Police Regional Office (PRO) Davao's Security Agencies and Guards Supervision Section (Saggs).

"Gusto namin linisin ang aming pangalan. Respeto ang pinapairal namin, unang-una dahil amo namin sila (DDH), bilang client. Pangalawa, kailangan ko lang naman ng maayos na pag-uusap nang gabing yon (We want to clear our name. We want respect to prevail because foremost DDH is our boss being our client. Secondly, we just want to talk amicably with the management)," Ramirez told Sun.Star Davao in a phone interview.

He said their main intention that night was only to ask for an "authority to enter" the hospital to talk with the management about the termination of their security services and commission of Seabren Security Agency.

He said it may be true that the DDH management had already issued a pre-termination notice against them, but their contract with the latter is until July 2013.

"Alam ng tao kung paano kami mag-respeto. Ayaw namin may mangyayaring kaguluhan nung gabing yun. Nabigla nga ako nung dinis-armahan kami (People know how we respect others. We don’t want any untoward incident that night. We were shocked when they disarmed us)," he said.

"Pinagtulungan kami ng tatlong department, yung Swat (Special Weapons and Tactics), Sagss and San Pedro police," he added.

He denied reports that they attempted to switch off the electric power of the hospital and that they prevented the doctors, the management, and even the visitors from entering the building.

"Hindi mangyayari na hindi namin sila papapasukin. Actually, naawa nga yung mga doctor sa amin kasi nga mawawalan na kami ng trabaho (That cannot happen. The doctors even pitied us because we would be jobless)," Ramirez said.

When asked what could be the reason why the DDH terminated their security services, Ramirez said it was "management discretion."

The management "terminated its contract for security services with 8 Silver effective 12:01 a.m. of September 17 for violation of the terms and conditions of the contract," according to an official statement signed by Geralyn N. Somozo, marketing officer of the DDH.

Somozo failed to elaborate what particular violation of the contract the 8 Silver Security Agency committed.

"However, officers and security guards of the 8 Silver Agency by use of force, threats and intimidation, prevented the security guards of the Seabren Security Agency, the agency contracted by DDH to replace the guards of 8 Silver Security Agency, from assuming their posts," she said.

Somozo assured that "hospital operation remains normal."

Ramirez also denied that his members do not receive any benefits from the 8 Silver Security Agency.

Superintendent Joseph B. Sepulchre, chief of Sagss, earlier said that one of the guards confessed that they are not getting the right salary from their agency.

"Siguro iiwan ako ng mga tao ko kung totoong marumi ang pamamalakad namin sa kanila," he said, adding that no one from the guards resigned.

He said they have around 60 guards in the city, 40 of which were assigned to DDH.

Chief Inspector Jay Dema-ala, deputy chief of Sagss, said a violation of Republic Act 5487 (The Private Security Agency Law) will be filed against the 8 Silver Security Agency due to the tension inside the hospital that lasted for four hours.

The DDH will also figure out if they will pursue filing of a grave coercion case against Ramirez.

Ramirez, on the other hand, said they will answer all the complaints that will be filed against them.

He said their legal counsel and their president in Manila, where their head office is located, are now preparing to vindicate their agency.

"Trabaho lang ang nasa isip namin (Work is our priority)," he said.

The Sagss confiscated on Monday the several firearms -- 15 9 mm. pistols and three shotguns -- of the guards after they received a report that the latter attempted to cut off the electric power.