Capitol File Photo
Starting today, 20 policemen from the Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) will guard the Capitol and other facilities and installations owned by the provincial government after Gov. Hilario Davide III rescinded the contract of the Black Pearl Security Agency effective yesterday.
Supt. Anthony Bagarinao, deputy provincial police director, said policemen from the Public Safety Battalion will augment the six policemen already assigned at the Capitol. “It will not affect our operations since most of them are assigned for internal security operations (ISO) which is roughly composed of more than 180 men,” said Bagarinao.
Five will guard the Capitol building, four at the Museo Sugbo, two at the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC), one at the Larsian barbecue stalls near Fuente Osmeña, four at the Cebu South Bus terminal, two at the Cebu Cultural Center (CCC) and two will guard the Balili property in Naga.
The policemen will guard the Capitol’s properties until a new security services provider is selected following a competitive bidding.
The Black Pearl Security, despite its willingness to render temporary services to the Capitol, has had its services terminated because of one of its guard’s involvement in an accidental shooting.
In a press conference Thursday, Davide announced that he will ask the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) to reevaluate the agency’s bid.
A Black Pearl security guard on duty accidentally discharged his service firearm, hitting a habal-habal driver in a province-owned lot in Apas. The governor also cited reports of a Black Pearl guard sleeping on duty and another guard with no license, raising doubts on the agency’s competence.
Sepe said the BAC headed by Provincial Legal Officer Orvi Ortega will have to make its decision on the state of Black Pearl’s bid. The committee held a meeting yesterday afternoon.
Davide and other provincial officials were heavily criticized after Black Pearl deployed its personnel even if the BAC had yet to issue a notice of award.
The security agency volunteered its services after the Capitol’s security service contract with Tactical Security Agency Inc. expired last May 31.
With the decision against Black Pearl, Davide hopes “this is a way to stop doubts, insinuations, some even malicious, with personal attacks against me.”
Sepe said he already informed the agency’s president about Davide’s decision.
“Of course they were not happy. But we told them the reasons, the shooting incident. It was really the governor’s prerogative so even if we like it or not, it has to be followed,” he said.
Sepe said Black Pearl has started pulling out its personnel from a number of district hospitals ran by the provincial government but Black Pearl guards were still manning the Capitol’s premises when Cebu Daily News checked yesterday.
Sepe assured that they have already prepared a security plan for the turnover of duties to the Capitol Security Unit and provincial police.