Photo courtesy of Senator Win Gatchalian/Facebook.
Acting Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian said Wednesday the Senate was not under lockdown despite tighter security measures prompted by reported threats against the chamber.
Gatchalian said the proper term was heightened security, not lockdown, as the Senate continued to allow access to authorized personnel.
In a Zoom interview, he said senators could still go to the Senate if their presence was necessary.
However, Gatchalian urged his colleagues to work remotely while the chamber dealt with the reported security concern.
He said senators and employees were encouraged to follow a work-from-home arrangement as a precaution.
Senate personnel had been allowed to work from home on Wednesday and Thursday after the chamber received security information from the National Bureau of Investigation.
Some staff members were earlier barred from entering the Senate premises as security personnel enforced stricter access controls.
In a memorandum issued Tuesday, Gatchalian directed the Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms to implement tighter security measures, including a temporary no-visitor policy.
