SM Malls’ management is currently under scrutiny after the alleged lax security resulting to the deaths of the victims in the two separate crimes of passion inside the premises of the shopping centers.
According to Police Senior Insp. Buenaventura Viray Jr. of the Supervisory Office for Security and Investigation Agencies (SOSIA), an ongoing investigation is being conducted to identify if SM Malls could face an administrative liability in the separate shooting incidents in SM North Edsa and SM Pampanga.
SOSIA is a licensing organization responsible in the issuance of permits to security agencies and personnel in the Philippines.
For first-time offenders, the agency imposes a fine of Php 50,000. License revocation is the next penalty for repeat offenders.
Based on Viray’s observations, he said that the mall security may have shown lapses in its security system in preventing the separate shooting incidents but a due process will be implemented to identify what went wrong in the process.
He added several investigations will be conducted to determine whether the pistol cannot be detected by a metal detector or whether the boy carrying a .22-caliber pistol has entered the SM premises not meant for customers.
Viray said SOSIA is planning to convene all security managers in the country consisting of 2,000 various agencies in Camp Crame to discuss all efforts to strengthen the security measures in protecting the public from related incidents.
He clarified that SOSIA is not tasked for random inspection. The group is merely responsible in issuing licenses to those who want to operate security agencies. Random inspection in compliance to the set security standards is being undertaken by the territorial forces.
He noted the assessment of the territorial forces of the particular violations will lead the group to work on a separate investigation and provide its own recommendations based on the merits of the case.
