BAGUIO CITY – The Sobrepeña-owned Camp John Hay Development Corporation (CJHDevCo) is currently processing the pertinent documents being required by the Philippine National Police (PNP) to renew the permit of its commissioned security agency in order to instill order in the 247-hectare John Hay Special Economic Zone (JHSEZ) contrary to the insinuation of the State-owned Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) that it is operating a private army inside the camp.
Alfredo Yñiguez, CJHDevCo executive vice president and chief operating officer, said the failure of the PNP to renew the permit for the Warbird Security Agency is part of BCDA’s black propaganda in order to force the developer to give up its hold over the camp and for the latter to forcibly takeover the facility considering that the security guards of the developer are no longer armed.
“The security guards are in place to protect the public and not only the leased premises,” the CJHDevCo official stressed.
Earlier, the BCDA boasted that the PNP Civil Security Group shut down the Warbird Security Agency inside the camp after it was discovered to be operating for the past eight months with an expired license.
However, CJHDevCo officials disclosed that they were able to comply with the required documents for the renewal of the agency’s permit to operate but due to political and influence-peddling by the BCDA, the PNP Civil Security Group failed to act on the matter.
The developer’s security agency was recently issued a cease and desist order by the PNP Civil Security Group and that the same was signed by Chief Superintendent Elmer Ragadio Soria, officer-in-charge of the said office.
BCDA head for security operations Carlis Quita disclosed that Warbird Security and Investigation Agency was not only operating without the license for the past eight months but their guards were also armed making them liable for illegal possession of firearms.
Soria cited the license to operate of Warbird Security Agency expired on 30 September 2014 and pursuant to Section 11©, Rule IV of the 2003 Revised Rules and Regulations Implementing Republic Act (RA) 5487, licenses to operate which had not been renewed 60 days after the expiration shall be automatically cancelled.
Aside from ordering the agency to cease and desist from its operations, Soria also directed the agency to turnover all its firearms for safekeeping to the storage branch, firearms and explosives office, Civil Security Group in Camp Crame, Quezon City or the nearest Police Regional Office within 15 days upon receipt of the said notice.
In a related development, another security agency hired by the developer is also in hot water for operating within the economic zone without permit and for entering into contract with clients whose properties have an existing contract with another party without the written permission of the police.
Eagle Corinthian Integrated Security Inc. is now the subject of investigation by the PNP Civil Security Group since it violated sub-paragraph A5 of paragraph 2, Section VIII of Standing Operating Procedure (SOP) No. 007-08 which states that no private security agency shall enter into contract with any clients whose property or establishment has an existing conflict of claim, ownership, management or administration of properties/establishments with another party, without written permission from the police that has jurisdiction of the property/establishment.
Quita said the uncalled for and unauthorized deployment of Eagle Corinthian Integrated Security Agency Inc. within the camp demonstrates the developer’s strengthening of its security forces in contravention to the intent and spirit of the existing procedures.
According to him, Eagle security personnel may have been deployed to avert the local court in implementing the notice to vacate and writ of execution that was already restrained by the Court of Appeals, thus, no takeover had transpired inside the camp.
He cited the said security agency was operating without the required permit from the John Hay Management Corporation (JHMC) which the management arm of the BCDA in the CJH reservation and special economic zone areas.
By Dexter A. See