- GILBERT BAYORAN
Almost a majority of watchmen under the Security and Safety Division (SSD) of the provincial government of Negros Occidental were pulled out from their respective assignments, based on the memorandum issued by Provincial Administrator, Atty. Rayfrando Diaz.
SSD head Renelo Lastierre said that the order did not give specific instructions to the affected personnel, except that they have to report back to the SSD office for possible reassignment.
While they complied with the order, Lastierre said some of the security personnel signified their intention to resign as their salary of P12,000 monthly may not be enough if they will be dislocated from their respective areas of assignment, where they are also residents.
Lastierre, however, said that there are still SSD personnel being retained in their respective areas.
By hiring Contract of Service (COS) watchmen, which he had proposed and approved, Lastierre recalled that the provincial government managed to save P10 million annually, as the contract price of hiring private security guard is P25,000.
Of the 39 recalled Capitol-hired watchmen, Lastierre said 32 are under COS status, three are casuals, and four are assigned as CCTV operators.
The watchmen served as perimeter guards in the different Capitol-owned facilities, including hospitals, spread in towns and cities of Negros Occidental./GB
