SONA definitely at Congress — JDV

Amid bomb threats, the annual State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Arroyo will be delivered at the House of Representatives, Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. declared yesterday.

"The SONA will be held in Congress — definitely," De Venecia said.

De Venecia said security measures are already in place and Task Force SONA head House Deputy Secretary General Artemio Adasa is busy preparing for the July 24 presidential address.

The SONA is traditionally delivered before a joint session of Congress at the Batasan complex in Quezon City.

"We are confident that with our extensive preparation, security for the event will be more than adequate," De Venecia assured.

De Venecia has ordered "heightened security precautions" around the vicinity of the Batasan, following the seized blueprint of the complex from six rebels arrested last Friday.

Adasa said on Monday they are considering a change of venue for the annual presidential address to ensure Mrs. Arroyo’s safety.

He also announced that bottled water would no longer be allowed when the President delivers the SONA for fear that terrorists might use a liquid bomb.

But Adasa’s suggestion was opposed both by the minority and majority bloc in the House. House Minority Leader Francis Escudero said Adasa was "overreacting" over such threat.

House Majority leader Prospero Nograles said there was no need to change the venue.

Adasa begged for patience in advance from the 234 members of the House of Representatives who will be forced to undergo strict security measures they will impose on July 24, following intelligence reports the bombs may be concealed in their vehicles.

Tight security is expected on July 24, when Mrs. Arroyo delivers her SONA before a joint session of Congress, after military and police operatives confiscated bombs and high-powered firearms from rebel soldiers who were arrested near the Batasan complex Friday.

Meanwhile, Metro Manila police chief Director Vidal Querol is concerned that terrorists may employ a "Trojan horse" tactic in sabotaging the SONA on July 24.

Querol said the security team of the House of Representatives should watch out for this kind of tactic rather than focus on a violent commando type attack.

"Things are difficult to deal with in a ‘Trojan horse’ type of attack. That is why the House security must do their homework in ensuring that no Trojan horse will manage to get inside the Batasan complex during the annual presidential address," Querol said in an interview.

Querol said a Trojan horse could be somebody who is allowed to enter Batasan complex on the guise that he is legitimately represented but later on unmask his plans to hurt the President.

Based on documents seized from the Magdalo soldiers in their safehouse in Quezon City, anti-government forces are planning to hold hostage Mrs. Arroyo, the Senate president and the House speaker, government officials and diplomats and then seize power from government. — With Cecille Suerte Felipe