QC police reexamine security measures in malls following shooting

Police officials conducted security checks on two malls in Quezon City after a shooting incident in a mall in the area left two people dead.

Quezon City Police District (QCPD) director Chief Superintendent George Regis spearheaded the spot checks on security measures being implemented at Trinoma Mall and SM North Edsa.

Last week, a woman armed with a gun managed to get inside the second mall. She shot her husband, who worked at an appliance store in the mall and then a security guard who tried to stop her when she aimed the gun at her head because she wanted to kill herself.

Both men passed away after several hours while the woman was arrested and detained.

Earlier this week, a teenager shot his friend inside SM Pampanga before he turned the gun on himself.

Some mall goers, however, said that they were unfazed by the shootings.

“Those incidents are isolated cases,” marketing supervisor Reynaline Tugade told the Inquirer.

“I’m not scared. I still need to do my grocery or shopping. Besides, I don’t usually stay long inside the mall, anyway,” said police aide Henry Paragas.

The inspection team led by Regis took note of the mall’s exits and entrances, the deployment of security guards and their security equipment, particularly those used for detecting metal or weapons.

“We are here to conduct on-the-spot security checks and inspections to ensure [that] malls and other big establishments comply with the required standards in terms of providing safety and security especially for mall goers,” Regis said.

Regis said there was a need to step up security in public places especially with the start of the “ber” months and in anticipation of the holiday season.

“We need to remind security officers of malls and other similar establishments to observe and implement stringent security measures to prevent deadly weapons from slipping past [them],” Regis added.

He said that the QCPD would recommend the implementation of additional security measures in business establishments based on their findings after the random inspections.