Image: malacanang.gov.ph
Some Malacañang reporters were temporarily barred from entering the Palace grounds as the Presidential Security Group (PSG) tightened the security in Malacañang during the Labor Day.
The PSG, manning the Palace gates, barred even those with car pass, which is needed to enter the Malacañang premises.
Among those barred were reporters and crew of state-run PTV, ABS-CBN, DZMM, and UNTV.
A reporter from UNTV said they were held at the gate for 20 minutes.
Security officials gave no immediate explanation except that it was an order from higher ups.
Sought for comment, PSG chief of staff Col. Potenciano Camba said Malacañang complex is on red alert.
“It’s labor day. We have a heightened alert. Our leadership has declared a red alert. ‘Yung security procedure natin pinaigting natin ngayong araw,” Camba told reporters in a phone patch interview.
Camba said Malacañang was placed under red alert status following the massive Labor Day rally in Mendiola.
“Dahil [Because] it’s labor day we are anticipating protest rallies dito sa [here at] Mendiola so nag-heightened alert kami,” he said.
Camba apologized to the media for the inconvenience.
“Kung mayroon mang inconvenience pasensya na po [If ever we have caused inconvenience, we are so sorry],” he said.
He said there was no order to bar the media from entering Malacañang.
“Wala naman. Di lang kami nakapag-usap ng PCOO na ganoon karami ang papasok na media,” he said.
(There is none. We just haven’t talked with the PCOO regarding a lot of mediamen that will enter the premises.)
“Di natin ineexpect na maraming media ang papasok, that’s why nag-validate kami sa PCOO kung marami ngang papasok na mga kapatid nating taga media,” he added.
(We are not expecting that a lot of mediamen will enter, that is why we re-validated this with the PCOO regarding those mediamen who will enter the Palace.)
But he reiterated it was not a case of prohibition.
Threats at the Palace
PSG Commander Brigadier Gen. Lope Dagoy said the incident was only a case of “misunderstanding.”
“Nagkaroon lang ng misunderstanding, nagdeclare kasi tayo ng red alert diyan dahil may mga reports at threats na gagawin diyan so naniguro lang tayo,” Dagoy said.
(There had been a misunderstanding, because we declared a red alert because there were reports of threats so we are just making sure.)
“Unfortunartely, wala naman supposedly activity diyan,” he added.
Dagoy said he immediately called Camba upon learning about the “ruckus.”
“Di lang alam ng sundalo na may plano kayong taga media na pumunta diyan. Yun lang, nagkaron ng ruckus, tinawagan ko na si Col. Camba,” he said.
(Our soldiers were just not expecting a lot of mediamen who go there. There had been a ruckus so I called up Col. Camba.)
He also apologized to the media for the inconvenience.
“Sa mga kasamahan niyo sabi ko pasensyan na lang, di naman namin sinasadya,” he said.
(To your colleagues I said we are so sorry, we don’t intend this to happen.)
“Hindi lang tayo nagkausap, nagkaroon ng coordination between PSG and media,” he said. I’d like to apologize kung na-inconvencience man kayo. But it is not [our intention] to do that.”
The Malacañang reporters were later allowed to enter the Palace. /jpv