By Martin Sadongdong The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Friday disclosed that it is studying the possibility of re-opening its custodial center in Camp Crame, Quezon City to visitors where several high-profile inmates are detained. PNP chief Gen. Archie Gamboa
(PNP / MANILA BULLETIN) This developed after the Senate minority questioned in a letter sent to General Archie Francisco Gamboa, PNP Chief, the decision to put detained Senator Leila de Lima in solitary confinement since April 25 which they described as "unconstitutional and illegal." In response, Gamboa explained that preventing visitors from the custodial center was part of a standard protocol that they followed together with the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) and Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. "We need to reassess if we can open up and accept visitors in the custodial center," he said in a virtual briefing. Gamboa explained that the custodial center was closed for regular visits because it is near the testing and quarantine facilities that were built inside Camp Crame to detect and house COVID-positive cops. Despite the barring of visitors, Gamboa said de Lima was allowed to communicate with the outside world through letters and phone calls. "Basically we allowed her correspondence, we also allowed her to make phone calls," he said. De Lima, a fierce critic of the Duterte administration, has been in detention at the PNP custodial center for over three years now because of drug-related charges. She has vehemently denied her alleged involvement in illegal drug operations and insisted that the claims were fabricated by the government.