The House of Representatives has been under "heightened alert" since Friday, January 2 following a series of bomb threats, according to House Secretary General Reginald Velasco.
Based on RH Milky Rigonan's report during MBC Network News on Monday, February 5, Velasco said several House members had received the bomb threat messages.
"I talked with the sergeant of arms last Friday, so it was in effect last Friday and it will go on until the House leadership advices us to go back in security precautions," he told reporters in an interview.
Kamara, naka-hightened alert kasunod ng serye ng bomb threats | RH 12 @milkyrigonan#MBCNetworkNews#SamaSamaTayoPilipino
— DZRH NEWS (@dzrhnews) February 5, 2024
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House Seargent of Arms has tightened security by deploying additional personnel to man the Lower House's vicinity.
Security forces will also be regulating the entry and parking of mobile vehicles inside the House of Representatives.
Apart from the bomb threat, there was also a cybersecurity threat against the Lower House.
House Speaker Martin Romualdez has called on Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to "conduct a thorough briefing" of the cyber attacks.
Romualdez also asked DICT to provide measures to prevent future cyber threat incidents as well as strategies to enhance cybersecurity.
Speaker @MartinRomualdez on security beaches vs govt websites> Ang pag-atake sa ating mga sistema sa internet ay hindi lamang banta sa ating pamahalaan kundi pagnanakaw na rin sa ating sariling tahanan. Hindi natin ito dapat palampasin at kailangan nating labanan @dzrhnews
— milky rigonan đź’‹ (@milkyrigonan) February 5, 2024