ILOILO City – Guards at the Iloilo provincial capitol are strengthening security measures at the building in light of reported bomb threats in Metro Manila and bomb attacks in the south.
“We are not leaving anything to chance,” said General Services Office head Aaron Raymundo, officer-in-charge of the security division.
Security guards peek into the bags of everyone entering the building and use metal detectors in sensing possible firearms or deadly weapons.
“These are all part of our preemptive action,” stressed Raymundo.
Raymundo urged all provincial government employees and food vendors to wear their capitol-issued identification cards at all times.
This would enable the security guards to easily identify them and let them avoid any suspicion, he said.
Capitol guards were on alert particularly during the commemoration of the 46th anniversary of the Marcos martial law last Friday when militant groups held a rally right outside the building.
Raymundo said they wanted to make sure no placard or signage enters the capitol and the employees are not disturbed.
He admitted the security at the building was previously a bit lax – anyone is easily allowed entry as long as the guards don’t find them suspicious or they don’t carry deadly weapons.
It was in 2017 when the provincial government started requiring everyone visiting or transacting at the capitol to log in.
More than 30 security guards make the rounds at the building every day while three officers from the Iloilo Police Provincial Office are detailed at the main entrance.
Raymundo estimated that over 1,000 people transact at the provincial capitol every day, mostly at the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office, Provincial Treasurer’s Office, Governor’s Office, and the Sangguniang Panlalawigan offices./PN
