MANILA — The country's police chief vowed Wednesday to ramp up the security measures in Camp Crame and said there would be system changes following the hostage-taking of former Senator Leila De Lima over the weekend.

Police Chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin said the investigation on De Lima's hostage-taking is still ongoing and they are looking into whether or not some police personnel were lax in implementing security in their headquarters.

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"Definitely, iniisa-isa namin, pinag-aaralan ano ba ang mga kailangan i-correct natin para maiwasan na ang mga pangyayaring ganoon," said Azurin during a Palace press briefing.

(We are studying what could be corrected.)

"We really need to implement strictly yung mga pumapasok, dumadalaw sa mga nakakulong doon na hindi sila makakadala o makakapagpasok ng anything na would hurt anybody inside our jail facility," he added.

(We really need to implement strictly the checking of those visiting our facilities and make sure they would not be able to bring any object that would hurt anyone inside our jail facility.)

Among the things they also intent to change are the food distribution process, wherein more than one food server tasked and a "buddy system" will be implemented.

"Mase-separate na rin siguro ang distribution ng pagkain at sunny time nila. During that time, nagkasabay," the police chief said.

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"We would continue na medyo malayo ang facility ng mga lalaki at babae na nakakulong," he added.

(We may separate the schedule for food distribution and their outdoor time, because when the incident happened, it was the same for both. We would also continue to separate women and men detainees.)

When asked about utensils being used as a potential weapon or a security threat, Azurin said, "any object that would be used to hurt anybody in the facility will no longer be allowed inside the jails, especially yung mga magagamit ng ating mga preso (especially those that could be used by detainees)."

He did not clarify though if these would be replaced by plastic utensils and how the ban would take effect.

De Lima, 63, was held hostage in the PNP Custodial Center Sunday morning after three suspected members of the Abu Sayyaf Group attempted to escape from the facility.

In her statement, the former lawmaker said she felt a sharp object, which seemed to be a screwdriver or ice pick, pressed onto her chest during the short hostage-taking.

The three suspects were eventually neutralized by responding policemen.

Press Undersecretary Cheloy Garafil said it is up to the courts to decide on De Lima's possible bid for home furlough.

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An outspoken critic of former president Rodrigo Duterte and his deadly drug war, De Lima has been detained at Camp Crame since 2017 on drug trafficking charges.

She denies the allegations and has consistently said she is a victim of political persecution.