POLICE Regional Office (PRO) 7 Director Prudencio Tom Bañas yesterday said they will provide security in Cebu Provincial Capitol after Gov. Hilario Davide III canceled the services of Black Pearl Security Agency (BPSA).
“We will help secure Capitol while they are smoothing out the transfer of their security agency,” he assured. “This is only temporary. They’re already fast-tracking it. If this will take a long time, we will be sacrificing part of our personnel.”
Davide terminated the services of BPSA following a shooting incident involving one of its guards last Tuesday that wounded a motorcycle-for-hire driver.
As of yesterday, some of the security personnel of BPSA started to pull out, especially those assigned in district hospitals and keys were turned over, said Provincial General Services officer Jone Siegfred Sepe.
Capitol assignment
Bañas had already directed Senior Supt. Noel Gillamac, Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) director, to find policemen who will be assigned in Capitol.
Bañas said they could also tap the Regional Public Safety Battalion (RPSB) 7 if there will be a shortage of policemen from CPPO.
Supt. Anthony Bagarinao, CPPO’s deputy provincial director for operations, told Sun.Star Cebu they have initially deployed six policemen to Capitol yesterday. Some were also sent to guard district hospitals.
He revealed that Capitol also requested 18 policemen to be assigned in Museu Sugbo, Cebu International Convention Center (CICC), Cebu Cultural Center, Balili property in Naga City, South Bus Terminal and Larsian Food Park.
Payment?
Bagarinao, who was on a meeting while they’re sorting out Capitol’s request, said these policemen would probably come from Provincial Public Safety Company (PPSC).
Sepe said he has spoken with BPSA president Baltaire Balangauan.
“Of course, they were not happy. We told them the reason, we told them the shooting incident. We told them about some issues raised by (Davide),” Sepe said.
Sepe also said that Balangauan asked him if the Capitol will pay them.
Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III said that when BPSA volunteered, there was no discussion about compensation for the security guards.