PNP says restrictions in custodial facility still in effect

June 5, 2020

The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Friday said restrictions inside the custodial facility are still in effect as part of their biosafety measures to prevent spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

“BuCor (Bureau of Correction) has reported a spike in number of PDLs (persons deprived of liberty) found positive with COVID-19. We don’t want same thing to happen in our custodial facilities,” Banac said in a statement.

Banac made the statement after some colleagues of detained Senator Leila De Lima, including her lawyer, were barred from seeing her.

According to de Lima's camp, despite the inviolable right of detained persons of access to their lawyer at any time of day and night, the PNP continues to refuse to allow any kind of visit, whether by her immediate family, her lawyers, or office staff.

It said de Lima has not been seen by anyone from outside of the Custodial Center since April 25, 2020.

Human rights lawyer Chel Diokno Diokno, along with Father Flavie Villanueva, and De Lima’s chief-of-staff Phillip Sawali, presented their IDs and waited outside the Custodial Center for about an hour hoping to be allowed to visit de Lima.

Diokno and Sawali maintained that preventing De Lima to have access to her lawyers, doctors, priests, and counselors, which are all considered essential visitors, is a violation of her rights.

They urged the PNP to remove the restrictions imposed upon De Lima and respect her rights as a Filipino citizen and senator.

“This is not allowed under our full Constitution. This is called incommunicado detention. We also have law and international standards and laws, like Mandela Rules, it is right of any detained person to have reasonable contact to the outside world,” Sawali added.

The PNP appealed for understanding and said the prohibition is only temporary and subject to regular assessment depending on the health situation.

“We appeal for understanding from all affected families affected by this restriction. This prohibition of visits is only temporary and subject to regular assessment depending on prevailing health risks and quarantine levels,” Banac said. Ella Dionisio/DMS