The Philippine National Police (PNP) needs at least 10 working days before any request to visit any detainee at its Custodial Center at Camp Crame in Quezon City is acted upon.
This was the explanation made by the national police, through its director of Headquarters Support Service Col. Mark Pespes, in denying visitors of former Sen. Leila de Lima to meet her during her 63rd birthday.
In justifying the decision, Pespes cited PNP Memorandum Circular 2018-027 which states that those who would like to visit any inmate needs a written request to be submitted at least 10 days before the scheduled visit.
But the same memorandum stated that it needs the approval of the Chief PNP before any person could visit any inmate.
“We don’t deprive our PUPC (Persons Under PNP Custody) of their constitutional right to be granted with the opportunity to be visited but it should be within the bounds of PNP Memorandum Circular 2018-027,” said Pespes.
In the case of the visitors of De Lima, the PNP said the letter was submitted the written request on Aug. 22 for the Aug. 27 visit.
"The Senator is aware that her request fell short of the required number of days stated in the memo but still the PNP Headquarters and Support Service made earnest efforts to process the request. However, hindi talaga naihabol ang approval," said Pespes.
"We treat all PUPCs equally and no one is exempt from this policy," he added.
Pespes said on their part, they immediately communicated with De Lima informally in the evening of August 26 and through a letter on August 27, 2022 that said request was immediately processed but did not reach approval.
“Any request for visitation is evaluated thoroughly and will usually take a process which needs ample time before it finally gets approved if ever no complications are observed,” Pespes said.
He emphasized, however, that immediate family relatives and family members of the Senator were allowed to see her for her birthday celebration.