Ambassador: No signal jamming for APEC

MANILA, Philippines – Ambassador Marciano Paynor Jr., director general of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) 2015 National Organizing Council on Thursday morning confirmed that there are no plans to cut off signals during the summit week.

“As of now there is no plan... We will continue to have our signals,” Paynor said during the press briefing when asked if signals will be jammed just like the Pope visit last January.

Paynor said there are no plans to remove signals yet but he said security measures will be changed depending on the threat assessment.

He said threat assessments will be conducted for each of the 21 visiting leaders as well as other guests and will be treated at the same level.

The ambassador added that these security plans were made with the security teams including the Presidential Security Group.

“When they all come together, threat level is assumed to be highest,” Paynor said.

“We tweak security arrangement depending on threat assessment,” he said.

Paynor stressed that “the inconvenience will be much less if we follow the rules.”

Twenty-one heads of economies and several delegates from various APEC-member and non-APEC member-countries will visit the country as the Philippines host the APEC events for the second time.

APEC Economic Leader’s meeting will be held on November 19 to 20.