TO AVERT any potential loss of lives and properties due to terror attacks, the Cagayan de Oro City Police (Cocpo) is tapping the personnel of hotels to act as “force multipliers.”
Senior Superintendent Ronnie Francis Cariaga, Cocpo police chief, said the role of security guards and staff of hospitality establishments is important in keeping Cagayan de Oro safe from individuals who want to sabotage the peace and order situation.
In a meeting, Cariaga told the members of the Cagayan de Oro Hotel and Restaurant Association (Cohara) that their security personnel can act as first responders in case there is a plan to carry out an attack.
“The police and military cannot do it alone,” he said, adding the hotel management cannot entrust everything to the law enforcement authorities and local government units in maintaining security within their premises.
Cariaga said the security guards must never let their guard down.
In instances where the security personnel notice a suspicious-looking package inside the hotel, the first thing they have to do is to seal off the area to keep away passersby and curious onlookers before calling the police.
“The security guards should always be alert so we will not become the victim [of attacks],” he added.
Aside from that, hotel staff members must also report, albeit discreetly, to authorities any guest or customer whose actions may arouse suspicion.
Cariaga urged the Cohara member-establishments to install security measures such as closed-circuit television cameras and other “target-hardening” initiatives in their properties to make it difficult for attackers to achieve their goal.
One example of a target-hardening measure is for the guards to have a checklist of tasks, such as patrolling the hotel surroundings at certain times, which they need to accomplish before ending their shift.
“The business should implement these measures to secure not just their structures but also their guests. They have a moral obligation to protect their guests from harm,” Cariaga said.
He said the establishments must strictly enforce their policies to their clients, such as asking for identification cards and restriction of non-guests to rooms.
For her part, Cohara president Nelia Lee said the association’s primary objective is to ensure the safety of their clients.
The dialogue between the group and the police, Lee said, will be very helpful for the member-establishments in responding to situations that call for appropriate action.
“Through this meeting, our members will know what to do if they encounter a certain situation and who to call right away,” Lee told reporters in an interview.
After the forum, the tips and pointers the city police has shared to those who attended will be relayed to their security guards and employees so the whole establishment will be aware on how to respond.
Cohara has around 36 members composed of hotels and restaurants around the city.
