By Jhon Aldrin Casinas
High-ranking security officials of the private security agency and the shopping center where a hostage-taking took place on Monday said they will resign from their positions as negotiations with the hostage-taker ended nine hours after the incident reportedly began.
A disgruntled former mall security guard identified as Archie Paray, 32, held hostage around 30 people and shot another security guard at V-Mall located in Greenhills Shopping Center in San Juan City, authorities said.
According to the initial report, the incident took place around 11 a.m. Monday.
In a prepared statement read in front of the media, Salvador Capadocia, security coordinator of Greenhills Mall, and Fernando Solina, corporate safety head of Greenhills Mall, said they would resign from their posts following the hostage crisis at the establishment.
Moreover, officials of SASCOR private security agency identified as Henry Tuason, area field officer; Frederick Gravador, assistant director; Oscar Hernandez, general manager; and Luis Villamor director for operations of the security agency, said that they would also tender their resignation.
“Maaring sumama ang loob niya kasi may ginawa kaming rotation to avoid familiarity of the guards,” Hernandez said.
The security officials apologized to Paray and to the management of the shopping center.
San Juan Mayor Francis Zamora negotiated with Paray for his surrender at around 7:30 p.m. Zamora guaranteed the safety of Paray, who, in exchange, would leave his firearms and four grenades.
Through a video call, Zamora, accompanied by some city officials and lawmen, talked to the suspect for almost 10 minutes.