On Monday, the security around the Senate has tightened as lawmakers prepare to assemble as an impeachment court for the first day of the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.
More than 6,000 police officers are stationed to guard the Senate complex and its environs, according to the Philippine National Police (PNP).
As part of the security preparations, members of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) teams, and the Regional Mobile Force Battalion have also been put on standby.
Strict security protocols have been implemented at the Senate by authorities, which includes required vehicle inspections upon entering the complex, barbed wire barriers, and as well as additional security measures installed around the premises.
On Monday afternoon, the Senate is scheduled to formally convene as an impeachment court. Prior to the chamber’s inaugural hearings, senators will be sworn in as senator-judges.
To allow for security and traffic control throughout the hearings, the Pasay City Traffic and Parking Management Office has temporarily blocked both the northbound and southbound lanes of Diokno Boulevard, from Seaside Boulevard to Atang Dela Rama Street, outside the Senate.
It is recommended that drivers use Macapagal Boulevard as a detour.The road closure is set to stay in effect on hearing days, planned every Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. throughout the Impeachment Trial /Hannah Amparo
