Crackdown on fly-by-night security agencies pushed

Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa urged the Philippine National Police to end the operations of fly-by-night security agencies in the country.

Dela Rosa, presiding over Tuesday’s public hearing on the incident involving a security guard assaulting a motorcycle rider, gave PNP’s Supervisory Office for Security and Investigation Agencies officer-in-charge, Col. Joyce Patrick Sanggalang, an ultimatum to eradicate all fly-by-night security firms in the country.

“I am giving you three months. After three months, let’s conduct a hearing here. If Senator Tulfo still monitors the existence of these fly-by-night operators, you will be held responsible,” Dela Rosa, who was a former PNP chief, told Sanggalang.

Meanwhile, Senator Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito said the recent spate of incidents involving security guards would call for stricter screening processes and intense training before granting licenses and providing permits to carry firearms.

“There were several viral controversies involving security guards. The uniform they wear and the firearms they carry does not make them security guards. We should ensure that they are not only physically but also mentally fit,” Ejercito said during the hearing.

Ejercito also called for a crackdown on fly-by-night security agencies stressing the need to monitor the actions of armed individuals as they may cause harm to citizens if not reprimanded.

“For all you know, they might be destabilizers. That should be a cause of concern for the PNP,” he said, noting that such colorum firms are “armed” and “illegal.”

Earlier in the hearing, Sangalang admitted that fly-by-night operators remain the biggest problem for the SOSIA.

Police data show there are about 700,000 licensed security guards nationwide.

Ejercito said such a figure could have climbed up to a million with the inclusion of fly-by-night security guards.

Senator Raffy Tulfo joined Dela Rosa and Ejercito in their call to crack down on such colorum security agencies.

Blaming SOSIA for the existence of these firms, Tulfo said SOSIA should have done better other than monitoring the number of illegal security operators.

“You said you’re monitoring. Bullshit. Why monitor? You should start arresting them. Are you monitoring where can you collect money from? That’s unacceptable,” he said.