Capitol contract on the line, Black Pearl guard’s gun hits driver

CEBU, Philippines - A security guard from the Capitol-commissioned security agency has allegedly shot a motorcycle-for-hire driver while cleaning his service shotgun in Barangay Apas, Cebu City yesterday morning.

Gov. Hilario Davide III, in a press conference, said it was Loy Madrigal, the Capitol’s head security group, who informed him of the incident.

The blue guard of Black Pearl Security Agency, the winning bidder for Capitol’s security agency contract, was assigned in a province-owned lot when the incident took place.

Basing on Madrigal’s report, Davide said it was, however, an accident, and the victim’s wound was “not serious.”

Nevertheless, the governor said the incident may affect the ongoing evaluation of Black Pearl, whose contract has been temporarily held up after the bids and awards committee discovered some discrepancies in the agency’s requirements.

”This will also perhaps... may have a bearing on the post qualification evaluation conducted by BAC,” said Davide.

It can be recalled that Capitol allowed Black Pearl guards to man all the province-owned properties on June 1 sans a contract, reasoning that Tactical Security Agency’s contract had already expired on May 31.— (FREEMAN)