PNP chief, Gen. Archie Gamboa. (File photo)
MANILA – The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Friday said it will study whether its Custodial Center can be reopened to visitors amid Metro Manila's shift to a general community quarantine.
"We need a reassessment because of the proximity of our quarantine facilities housing positive PNP (Covid-19) patients and our (testing) laboratory to the Custodial Center. We need to reassess whether to open up the Custodial Center to visitors," PNP chief, Gen. Archie Gamboa said in a virtual press briefing.
Currently, the visitation of inmates remains prohibited at the PNP Custodial Center in compliance with safety and health protocols amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.
Gamboa said they are just replicating this measure that was earlier implemented by the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) in the country's jail facilities.
This came after opposition senators Franklin Drilon, Risa Hontiveros, and Francis Pangilinan bared that Senator Leila de Lima has been barred from accepting visitors and holding physical meetings with anyone since April 25.
De Lima is detained at the PNP Custodial Center on drug charges.
He, however, said the lawmaker is allowed to make phone calls.
“Sinagot na natin itong sulat but basically, ina-allow naman natin 'yung kanyang (We have responded to this letter but basically, we allow her to make) correspondence and we also allow her to make the phone calls,” he said. (PNA)
