PHILIPPINE CALL CENTERS BECOMING CRIME TARGETS
2008-07-23 14:48:36 -
The Makati police have warned call center agents and companies operating at night to beef up their security after a call center in Rizal province was stormed by robbers early this week.
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Makati police to call center firms: robbers are out there
'Though there is still no major case of robbery in call centers in Makati City, we would just like to warn the different call center companies and their agents that robbers are on the hunt for them,' MPD Chief Sr. Supt. Gilbert Cruz said in an interview with reporters Wednesday.
In issuing the advisory to the call center companies, Cruz cited an incident last Monday when 10 heavily armed men, clad in black suits pillaged the Teletech Call Center in Cainta, Rizal.
The Makati Police Chief said the security guard on duty was disarmed by the robbers while 21 employees were looted of their mobile phones and money.
To avert these kind of incidents, Cruz said he had already notified different BPO companies and call centers in Makati to implement stricter security measures to thwart robbers from executing their operations.
'Why should we wait for tomorrow? It is better for us to warn them at this early stage so that they can come up with a more stringent security policy. In the end, everybody will benefit from it,' he said.
Based on the data of Business Processing Association of the Philippines last April 2008, Makati City remains to be the leading hub of BPO and call centers in the country, housing at least 146 BPO companies and 72 call centers.
Makati is followed by Pasig City with 73 BPO companies and 44 call centers; and Quezon City with 63 BPO centers and 34 call center companies.
Cruz said he has already ordered the Police Community Precinct (PCP) Commanders to personally coordinate with the different call center companies in Makati City.
'To pre-empt similar incident, we directed our PCP Commanders to personally coordinate with them, the companies' representatives and their security officers to discuss measures that would strengthen their security plans,' he said.
Meanwhile, four unidentified armed thieves robbed 13 call center agents inside a bus along Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA), Makati City Tuesday night.
Cruz said the agents, on board the JMK Liner with license plate number TWX-201, were on their way to work when robbers declared a hold-up along EDSA.
He said robbers immediately alighted at Gil Puyat Avenue in Makati City, carting away undetermined amount of cash and valuables.
(Balita Pinoy - Philippine News & Analysis)
