MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police’s (PNP) Civil Security Group (CSG) said it is considering to file complaints against a security agency whose guards were disarmed by fighters of New People’s Army (NPA) in Balingasag, Misamis Oriental.
In a statement on Wednesday, PNP-CSG’s Acting Director of the PNP CSG Brig. Gen. Roberto Bigay Fajardo, ordered the “conduct of investigation and filing of appropriate charges if evidence warrants against AY-76 Security Specialists Inc. following the disarming of five of its security guards posted in Minergy Power Plant Ash Pond Site in Sitio Bahusan, Barangay Quezon, Balingasag town in Misamis Oriental on Monday.”
PNP-CSG cited President Rodrigo Duterte’s order to PNP to “tighten regulation and prohibition on gun ownership and purchase by civilians particularly high-powered firearms due to the incidents of so-called enemies of the state and other lawless elements getting firearms by conducting raids against unsuspecting security guards.”
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On Tuesday, PNP chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde ordered the PNP-CSG to look into the possible lapses of the AY 76 Security Agency after the incident.
Albayalde said the guards did not offer any resistance when the NPA fighters raided the Minergy Power Plant and took the guards’ five AK-47 rifles, several rounds of ammunition, and looted the power plant of radio transceiver sets and other equipment.
READ: PNP to probe liability of security firm after guards were disarmed by NPA
Reports from the military and police showed that the NPA fighters opened fire before proceeding to disarm the security guards. /muf