CAPITOL SECURITY CHIEF TO PROBE GUNS OF CAPITOL GUARDS

The head of the Security Office of the provincial government of Negros Occidental will conduct an investigation if the guards assigned at the Capitol's different buildings and facilities are using guns with fake licenses. Venchito Magalona, Capitol security chief said that he immediately fixed a meeting with the four security agencies with contracts with the provincial government. During the meeting, the agencies admitted that they cannot determine if the licenses issued to their guards are genuine as they not receiving any briefings from the proper authorities. Magalona's actions comes on the heels of reports that the guards assigned at the Negros First Blood Center have been allegedly using fake licenses for their firearms. He said the Regional Civil Service Unit-18 (RCSU-18) of the Philippine National Police (PNP) has also recently conducted an inspection of the firearms carried by the guards working at the various offices of the provincial government. The RCSU-18 confiscated six fake licenses were from the Life Guard Security Agency, after they were found to be using fake licenses. Magalona revealed that there is no training academy for guards here in Negros Occidental, and the rookie guards are forced to travel to Iloilo City in order to receive training. He stated they are also regularly checking the licenses of their guards, especially everytime the provincial government changes the security agencies. "Some of the guards working in here have been working for a long time, there some changes to the security agency, but the personnel are absorbed by the new agency," Magalona said. He cited one incident in which his office discovered one of the guards was issued with a fake security certificate two years ago, but the issue was quickly resolved. Magalona also pointed out they are carrying out regular firearm inventories and inspections, in which the licences and firearm serial numbers are also being scrutinized. However, he admitted that he himself could not even determine if the licenses are fake, as they are nearly identical to the original ones issued by the PNP. Earlier, the RCSU-18 also carried out an inspection at the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital (CLMMRH) in which 12 firearms were taken by police after they were found to be fakes. The involved security agency is currently facing an administrative investigation, while the confiscated firearms are still being examined by the regional crime laboratory.