The Philippine National Police (PNP) vowed to beef up security in Congress following an alleged bomb threat against lawmakers.
In a palace briefing on Monday, PNP Chief PGen. Benjamin Acorda said PNP personnel are currently coordinating with Congress to investigate the threat.
Asked if the threat was politically motivated, Acorda stated that as of the investigation’s current development, “everything is possible.”
On Sunday, House Secretary General Reginald Velasco reported that security in the Batasang Pambansa Complex is on heightened alert after various employees and some members of the Congress received alleged bomb threats.
Although refusing to identify who received the threats, Velasco said there were “more than one.”
House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez was not among those who received the threat, Velasco said.
“There’ve been threats being received by members of Congress, by employees, by staff from groups. Of course we don’t mind them because that is (part of) the hazards of the job. It is part of working in the government, Velasco said.
Asked if the threats are related to the heated issue on constitutional amendments and people’s initiative, he
said: “We don’t know but what was said is that the House of Representatives will be bombed.”
He said the House takes all threats “seriously” to ensure the safety of its members, employees, and staff.
Velasco still has to issue the memorandum about the heightened alert, but has already coordinated with the House’s sergeant-at-arms to “impose strict security to all those who are entering the premises, particularly the non-members of the House and who are not employees of this institution.”