AN official of the Philippine National Police (PNP) said Wednesday that they are allowing security agencies to require their guards to carry firearms while they are on duty on malls and similar establishments.
The PNP’s move came in light of daring robbery incident inside the SM Megamall City in Mandaluyong City where mall security guards failed to stop six suspects armed with handguns.
The head of the PNP Supervisory Office for Security and Investigating Agency (SOSIA), Chief Supt. Thomas Rentoy said that they have already drafted a directive allowing mall guards to carry guns.
“Today we will be issuing a directive that would allow security guards in the mall to carry firearms while on duty,” Rentoy told reporters during a press briefing in Camp Crame.
The police official said this following a meeting Wednesday with various security agencies to come-out with new security policies and operations in commercial establishment like malls and similar establishments.
During the meeting it was discovered that mall security guards are not armed and as their respective agencies refuses to allow them to carry guns while on duty for fear that it could scare off mall goers
“Their policy is to show that malls are peaceful inside, but this incident embolden the perpetrators since they (security guards) were not armed… but these should actually make mall goers safer,” Rentoy said.
The police officials added that security guards should be trained well in carrying firearms and show more courtesy and this would entice more people to go to the malls since they will feel safer.