Five months after the murder of one of its top officials, security at the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) premises remains lax and lapses are being committed with impunity.

Members of the media assigned at DPWH along Port Area, Manila tested how “tight” the security is following the daring ambush of DPWH undersecretary Ramon Aquino by two armed men as he was about to leave the compound last March 11.

Security personnel are themselves violating self-imposed measures, compromising safety and precautions.

For instance, the agency supposedly tightened security on the two gates located at the back of the main building and at the quadrangle. It’s only opened from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. during working days.

But reports showed that some security guards were allowing unauthorized people to make use of the restricted doorways upon their entrance and exit from the agency beyond the scheduled hours.

By accident, while they were going over the security measures, reporters chanced upon a guard at the back exit escorting an outsider walking out of the main building even if it is not supposed to be passable.

“If this is how they tighten the security at DPWH, no one could be safe even Public Works Secretary (Hermogenes) Ebdane Jr., including other top officials,” a colleague commented.

At first, three uniformed security personnel manning the back exit did not grant the request of some media men to pass by and were asked to utilize the main gate along Bonifacio Drive.