PADPAO-7 welcomes probe on private security agencies

Security guard Jonathan Sanchez (center) (CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)

While condemning and denouncing the killing of lawyers Goering and his son Gerik Paderanga by a security guard, the Philippine Association of Detective and Protective Agency Operators (PADPAO) 7, welcomes an investigation into private security agencies (PSA) to cleanse it of scalawags.

PADPAO Vice President Edgar Gica, himself a lawyer, issued a statement that condemned and denounced “in strongest terms the senseless killing of Attorneys Goering George and Gerik Caesar Paderanga, father and son, respectively, by Security Guard Jonathan Sanchez”.

Sanchez admitted to shooting the Paderanga father and son. His wife, Charito, on the other hand, claimed Sanchez had been treated twice for mental illness in a public hospital in the city.

“The killer now admits that he is suffering from some mental illness. With such admission and given the fact that killer was the security guard on duty when he committed such dastardly act of ‘murdering’ the two Cebuano lawyers, PADPAO R7 welcomes any form of investigation by proper government authorities on private security agencies so as to sanitize the private security operations, at least, in Region 7, and rid it of scalawags and security guards who failed to muster the Code of Conduct, Code of Ethics and General Orders imposed by the Private Security Agency Law (RA 5487) and its Implementing Rules and Regulations issued by the Chief PNP, in consultation with PADPAO,” Gica said.

He said that PSAs are licensed by the Philippine National Police (PNP). It is also the police that issues security guards a License to Engage in the Profession of a Security Guard and accredits private security agency training schools or academies.

“It is, therefore, in that sense that PADPAO R7 chapter welcomes the move by the PNP and the city government of Cebu City to meet with the private security agency operators so that ways and means can be found and undertaken in order to completely prevent the occurrence of similar criminal incidents involving private security guards in the future,” Gica added.

Goering and his son Geric were shot by Sanchez near their law office on F. Ramos Street in Barangay Santa Cruz, Cebu City at past 8 p.m. on December 22.

The older Paderanga, 62, also the husband of Cebu Regional Trial Court Judge Sylva A. Paderanga, sustained several gunshot wounds on his body and died at the nearby Velez Hospital around two hours later, at past 10 p.m. on December 22.

Gerik passed away three days after he was shot at the nape. Gerik was the eldest of the three children.