The Presidential Security Group (PSG), the primary security agency tasked to ensure the safety of the President and his family, has declared a "total lockdown" in Malacanang and restricted the movement of the PSG members and their dependents.

The lockdown, which will be effective midnight of March 28 until April 10, came after some government officials who went to Malacanang the past weeks have been tested positive for coronavirus disease.

"The Presidential Security Group has the sole and unique mandate of protecting the President of the Republic. By ensuring the good health condition of the PSG troopers means deploying competent and able personnel who are not themselves threat to the health of the President," said PSG in a statement.

"In this premise, PSG will enforce a total lockdown starting midnight of 28 March until 10 April 2020," it said.

According to the statement, the lockdown only applies to all PSG personnel and their dependents who are staying at the PSG compound and Malacanang Complex.

"All PSG personnel and their dependents are required to undergo self quarantine and will just stay in their respective quarters for the duration of the lockdown," it said.

However, it said all offices situated in Malacanang Complex, particularly Malacanan Palace, shall continue to maintain their skeletal workforce.

Essential civilian employees shall still be allowed to enter the Palace area subject to regular screening procedures, it said.

"All these stringent security measures that will be implemented by PSG intend not only to ensure the safety of its personnel and Malacañang employees, but ultimately, to safeguard the health of the President amid the existing health crisis brought about by COVID-19," the PSG added.

At least two government officials confirmed with COVID-19 have gone to the Palace during the past days.

ACT-CIS party-list Rep. Eric Go Yap, who was positive for COVID-19, admitted that he attended a meeting in Malacanang on March 21 when the result of his test had not come out yet.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, who also decided to undergo self-quarantine, said that he had close encounter with Armed Forces of the Philippines chief of staff General Felimon Santos Jr. in at least two occasions, one was on March 22 at the Heroes Hall in Malacanang.

Santos was also tested positive for COVID-19. Celerina Monte/DMS