SBMA orders water park guards to leave Subic

SBMA Administrator Wilma Eisma —ALLAN MACATUNO

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT—Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Administrator Wilma Eisma has ordered all security personnel hired by the new management of Ocean Adventure here to leave the free port amid the ownership row in the marine theme park.

Ocean Adventure, which is being operated by Subic Bay Marine Exploratorium Inc. (SBMEI), has been taken over by new chief executive officer Scott Sharpe, following the ouster of his predecessor, Arthur Tai, on Feb. 13.

Eisma has directed the SBMA law enforcement department to secure the perimeter of the theme park.

“The security agency that provided the guards involved in the incident (takeover) has been directed to vacate the Ocean Adventure facility and to immediately cease and desist from any and all operations within the Subic Bay free port zone,” Eisma said on Thursday.

Also on Thursday, lawyer Severo Pastor Jr., manager of the SBMA labor department, issued Philand security agency a cease-and-desist order, addressed to the firm’s president, Felicito Valmocina, after meeting with its representatives.

Eisma said the takeover created an “irregular situation” when personnel from Philand security agency were sent to the theme park to secure the Ocean Adventure facility with the presence of Bataan policemen.

She said the takeover was carried out without prior coordination with the SBMA.

About 20 policemen from Morong town in Bataan province secured the premises of Ocean Adventure during the takeover, according to SBMEI officials.

In a Feb. 19 statement,
SBMEI said the presence of policemen was necessary to prevent any untoward incident while operations of the facility were formally transferred to the new management.

Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) Undersecretary Bernard Olalia and Dole Central Luzon Director Ana Dione met with Sharpe on Thursday to discuss alleged labor code violations, including the illegal suspension of some employees.

Sharpe said some employees were paid by Tai to refrain from reporting to work.

The Dole officials said they would continue their investigation to address the complaints of the employees. —ALLAN MACATUNO