As a precaution against unexpected disturbances in President Duterte’s State of the Nation Address (SONA), the signal of cellphones may be cut off in Quezon City later.
Once this happens, the internet connection of some workers using mobile data and “pocket wifi” would be cut off.
“Unang-una, ‘yan naman ay saglit lamang. ‘Yan naman ay isang option na pwedeng gawin ng ating kapulisan, particularly ng ating [National Capital Region Police Office],” said PNP Chief of Police General Guillermo Lorenzo Eleazar, Monday in an interview with GMA News.
“Ginagawa naman ‘yan sa mga nakaraang panahon, at ‘yan naman ay hindi bago… [I]sa sa mga options ‘yan na maaaring gawin. Hindi natin sinasabi na talagang gagawin ‘yan, pero ‘yan ay isa sa mga options. [Maghanda na ang maaapektuhan.]”
Signal jamming is common in the Philippines during large gatherings, especially when cellphones can detonate bombs and improvise explosive devices (IEDs).
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SONA ‘signal jamming’ could affect internet of work-from-home
Eleazar deployed up to 15,000 personnel of the Philippine National Police (PNP) to ensure the safety of Duterte’s sixth and final SONA today.
In March 2020, President Rodrigo Duterte enticed companies to implement “flexible working arrangements” such as working from home to prevent the transmission of the deadly COVID-19.
Although Eleazar did not want to confirm whether it will be done or not, he assured that it would be done for a while because of the time given to the militant groups that will stage protests along Commonwealth Avenue in conjunction with Duterte’s SONA is limited.
“‘Yan naman ay saglit lamang kung sakali dahil ang napag-usapan naman ay ‘yung kanilang activities is gagawin around hanggang [9:30 a.m.] hanggang mga 11 o sabihin nating hanggang alas dose doon sa [lugar na] napag-usapan base na rin doon sa dialogue na isinagawa ng city government, kasama na rin ng QCPD pati na rin itong leaders ng mga grupong lalahok dito sa kanilang mga activities,” Eleazar added.
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