Solon scolds DOLE for failing to verify mall hostage-taker's claims

A week after former security guard Alchie Paray held several dozen victims hostage for some nine hours at a Greenhills mall, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) admitted on Tuesday that they had yet to speak with Paray over his claims his former employer had treated workers unfairly.

Testifying before the House Committee on Labor and Employment, DOLE-NCR San Juan Field Office chief Director Mary Grace Riguer-Teodoro noted that while they had yet to talk to Paray they did start an investigation into Paray's employer, the SASCOR Armor Security Corp., and found that the company had violated several labor laws.

“No, we are yet to reach out since we did not have access to him,” explained Teodoro, adding that Paray was under arrest and was in police custody since March 2.

Nevertheless, committee Chairperson and 1-Pacman Party-list Representative Enrico Pineda was irked over this admission, pointing out that Paray had taken hostages because he was feeling aggrieved over labor matters such as being removed from his post at the entrance/exit points of the mall just because he refused entry to a tenant who was not wearing an ID.

Paray claimed that the tenant had threatened him and warned that he would not last long in his job. The tenant then allegedly bribed his supervisors to the tune of P5,000, which led to him being reassigned as a roving guard.

“How can you not have access? You are from the government. You can talk to San Juan [City] police [to access him]. As it is, you are not doing your job,” Pineda meanwhile said. “You should be on top of this situation. Paano kayo makakakuha ng information kung hindi kayo nakipag-usap sa tao?”

DOLE-NCR’s Teodoro, however, assured the House panel that the Labor Department had taken action on Paray’s claims and found out that the SASCOR Armor Security Corp. has been underpaying their employees' night differential pay, failed to pay rest day premiums, and violated safety standards.

“They already went to our office and informed us that they will revise the payroll for compliance,” Teodoro said.

Paray faced charges of frustrated murder, illegal detention, illegal possession of explosives, illegal possession of firearms and illegal possession of a bladed weapon for his actions. — DVM, GMA News