THE House of Representatives was placed on heightened alert after some lawmakers received bomb threats at the Batasang Pambansa complex.

This is according to House Secretary General Reginald Velasco as he is set to issue memo to increase the security in the premise.

“There have been threats being received by members of Congress, employees and staff from groups. The security has been tightened. So we just want to protect the members of the House of Representatives and staff and employees of the House from any untoward incidents,” Velasco told reporters in an ambush interview.

But Velasco refused to divulge who among the House members received threats.

He assured the lawmakers and public that the Batasan Complex is safe and that they are taking steps to secure the building.

“They just said that they might bomb the House of Representatives,” Velasco said.

“I have not issued a memo, but on their own, the security has been tightened, so we just want to protect the members of the House of Representatives and staff and employees of the House from any untoward incident. So I have talked to the Sergeant-at-Arms and I told him to impose strict security to all those who are entering the premises,” he added.

According to the officials, the security measures being implemented right now are the same with the actions they put in place during the State of the Nation Address (SONA).

“We do that most of the time because, as you know, there have been threats being received by members of Congress, by employees, by staff from groups. Of course, we don’t mind them because that’s the hazard of our job. It’s part of working in the government. There’s no additional protection, it’s just very strict on those entering the premises,” Velasco noted.

“I cannot reveal the names of those who have received the threats, but some members have received threats, recent lang,” he added.

He then said that Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez is not one of those who were reportedly threatened.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Jester P. Manalastas