Guv terminates contract of CPDRC security force

Governor Gwendolyn Garcia has terminated the contract between the Capitol and the agency providing security services to the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center following the escape of two inmates last Sunday.

The termination of the contract followed after the Committee on Discipline and Investigation found serious breach of security committed by the Spectrum Security Agency at the jail that resulted in the jailbreak.

The governor cited four security lapses committed by Spectrum in violation to the standard operating procedures specified in the contract.

Garcia said that the guards failed to inspect the stamps of the visitors coming out from the jail facility; that some of the guards were stationed outside of the main gate; that the guards at the main gate abandoned their post; and that the guards allowed inmates at the corridor, which is strictly prohibited under the contract.

"I found their performance poor, substandard and especially inexcusable," said Garcia, adding that the lapses were even recorded by the security cameras inside the jail.

Garcia however said Spectrum remains to be the agency of the other security services of the Capitol since its contract for the CPDRC is separate, adding that the performance bond put up by the agency would be forfeited because it failed to observe the provisions of the contract.

She gave the agency 24 hours to explain why the contract should not be terminated, but the explanation of Spectrum's general manager, Robert Aaron Gregorio, failed to satisfy the governor.

The governor even described Gregorio as "half-ignorant" of the situation. "His letter explanation has utterly failed to satisfy why the contract should not be terminated," Garcia said.

Despite the incident, Garcia said that this does not mean that the outsourcing of the services at the jail has failed as she is just looking for a perfect formula.

Garcia said that once the termination of the contract takes effect 15 days after the agency receives the notice of termination, the Civil Security Unit would take over the CPDRC security for the meantime.

Garcia said the committee investigation would continue to determine the possible liability of the organic personnel at the jail, including acting warden Alfredo Abella, on the escape of Eduardo de la Concepcion and Roel Arabis last week.

The two were recaptured last Monday at the house of Arabis' grandmother in sitio Kamanaol, barangay Obogon, Asturias. - Fred P. Languido