Senator Joel Villanueva has called on the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to verify the labor practices of security agencies, particularly its compliance to general labor, occupational safety and health standards.
Villanueva made the call in the aftermath of Monday’s 10-hour hostage-taking inside a mall in Greenhills, San Juan City by Alchie Paray, a former security guard.
While castigating Paray for taking hostages, Villanueva said the grievances raised by the former security guard should not be shrugged off outright.
“The actions of the suspect are abhorrent. The way he used to call attention to the problem will never be right any way you look at it,” said the chair of the Senate Committee on Labor, Employment, and Human Resources Development.
”It seems his grievance went unaddressed which led to the incident.”
“The victims will carry the trauma for the rest of their lives, not to mention imparting fear among our people who go to malls for leisure,” the veteran legislator stressed.
“While we lament that the suspect had to resort to taking hostages to call attention against his former employer, it seems his grievance went unaddressed which led to the incident. Grievances of workers especially pertaining to labor practices is within the purview of DOLE’s jurisdiction,” the seasoned lawmaker continued.
“Granting licenses to practice as a security personnel should only be given to individuals with tough mental disposition.”
“We ask the department to look into the matter because we cannot afford another similar incident that will affect innocent people,” the senator added.
Given their military and police training, including skills to handle firearms and explosives, granting licenses to practice as a security personnel should only be given to individuals with tough mental disposition, Villanueva added.
Among the general labor standards that labor inspectors should check include: payment of correct wages, including overtime pay, night shift differential, holiday pay, and other wage-related benefits; weekly rest day; provision of welfare facilities; assurance of safe working conditions, and rights to self-organization and collective bargaining.