By ACE ESMERALDA
Video from the Philippine Daily Inquirer
(Security expert Ace Esmeralda wrote the following observations based on the statements of Makati City Mayor Jejomar Erwin “Junjun” Binay, the Dasmariñas Village security, Makati Chief of Police, Right Eight Security agency and the video of the incident.)
IF a picture paints a thousand words, a 15-minute video paints a million.
The video taken almost midnight of Nov. 30, 2013 showed a convoy of four SUVs near the boom barrier at the Banyan Road gate of Dasmariñas Village in Makati City. One guard is seen approaching the lead vehicle, most likely to explain the village rules that that particular gate is closed at 10 p.m.
But the convoy had already squeezed itself too close that backing up is the only option to get to the other gate. Sad to say, based on the body language of persons in the video, the convoy expected the guards to raise the boom barrier and let it quickly leave the premises. When the guards refused, some security escorts alighted from the SUVs and manhandled the guards. Under duress, the guards called for reinforcement.
The convoy apparently also called for help because Makati City police personnel arrived at the scene and lifted the barrier blocking its way. Police officers approached the security guards and brought the guards with them.
The video captured a tense situation.
In that convoy was Makati City Mayor Jejomar Erwin “Junjun” S. Binay Jr., who had come from the house of his sister, Sen. Nancy Binay, a resident of the posh village, who was also in one of the cars.
The incident could have been prevented had the staff of the mayor or the senator coordinated with the village officers. The village office could have then accorded the two officials courtesies due them.
Or the village guards could have allowed passage after verifying the identity of the VIPs then just made an exemption report to the Security Head, citing the circumstances.
But that was not what happened.
What would I do if I were in the shoes of the following?
The village manager
I would recommend to the Board of Directors of the homeowners association the immediate change of agency but retention of the guards. The agency, represented by its owners or management, cannot speak for the village and for the homeowners association. The agency should not contradict the statement and position of the village homeowners, especially in public.
I would commend the guards for doing their job, their post duties and responsibilities, and for alerting mobile responders under duress.
I would consult our legal counsel to see if there were violations of law like unlawful arrest and detention. The video showed coercion and manhandling by both escorts and responding policemen of the security guards.
If it were simply an invitation, as claimed by Mayor Binay’s office, then the guards, with the consent of the agency and village officers, could have given their statements in their own time.
The Makati City police chief said the guards were only invited for “clarification and custodial inquiry” and verification of their firearms. That was a euphemism for arrest.
If the intention was to verify the guards’ firearms, then the police should also check the firearms of all guards on duty in Makati, not singling out the three village guards.
I would also investigate why the CCTV video recording was taken out from the village premises and given to Philippine Daily Inquirer. I will demand an audit of village security management system.
As a citizen
I would request the mayor and the senator to retrain or replace their security personnel who placed them in harm’s way. The security escorts failed to coordinate with the village administration their departure through a restricted gate. The lead vehicle assumed that they were exempted from village rules because they were in a convoy bearing the mayor and the senator. The lead car entrapped itself in front of the boom barrier, guard house and steel gate. The other drivers parked their vehicles too close to each other that they could simply maneuver without backing up.
The security escorts failed to secure their perimeter the moment the convoy was stopped, especially after the mayor alighted. One escort was busy with an umbrella for the gentleman mayor but not for the lady senator.
The escorts exposed the mayor to the risk of being injured or killed by several 2,000-pound weapons that were passing the street in high speed. They exposed the mayor and the senator for 15 minutes to a potential shootout instead of extricating the convoy out of the scene. They revealed that they move around with unloaded weapons. The escorts, especially the one in a vest, acted in an arrogant manner—manhandling the uniformed security guards, grabbing the logbook, and treating the supposed “force multipliers” as criminals, threat forces or enemies.
I would ask for the relief of the police chief who obviously came up with “after the fact” justifications that contradicted each other and the actions of his policemen as seen in the video. He tried hard to justify the actions of the escorts and policemen by saying the guards showed their shotguns. I still have to see a guard holstering or concealing his shotgun while on duty. Is the chief of police serving only the mayor?
As village resident or homeowner
I would ask my homeowners association to consult legal minds on the incident. I pay personal taxes and my businesses pay taxes to the local government to provide me the services and respect I deserve. I pay association dues to protect my family, residence and village from any form of harm and threat.
Someone has to pay for this incident. I didn’t pay guards to spend four hours in police custody or waiting for a ride back to their posts. I would question the capability of the agency owners to provide services to my village since they cannot provide vehicle or taxi fare for the “invited” guards to go back to their post.
I would ask for an explanation why private data in the form of CCTV video recording was taken out from the village premises and given to PDI. I would demand an audit of village security management system.
A former Army officer and graduate of Philippine Military Academy, Ace Esmeralda is a Certified Protection Professional of the ASIS International and asset protection consultant to several multinational corporations.