By Junex Doronio
MANILA — Assuring the public that erring prison guards who are proven guilty will not be tolerated, Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla has ordered an investigation into allegations of abusive strip search done to wives of Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDLs) at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP).
“We do not condone degrading or inhuman or absurd treatment towards anyone because we want our prisons to be safe, secure and decent,” Remulla said in a statement on Wednesday (8 May 2024).
The DOJ stated wives of PDLs, assisted by the human rights organization Kapatid, filed a complaint before the Commission on Human Rights.
It claimed that proper decorum of prison personnel conducting physical searches is highlighted under the Bureau of Corrections’ (BuCor) Operating Manual on how a proper search must be conducted, as well as the provision on penalties against those proven to be carrying illegal contraband.
However, the DOJ emphasized that the BuCor is strictly compliant with international standards and policies on body searches, specifically on rules under the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for Treatment of Prisoners (Nelson Mandela Rules) which mandate that searches should be conducted in a manner that is respectful of the dignity and privacy of the individual being searched.
“Our department remains fully committed to upholding the highest degree of respect for human rights in the conduct of our corrections functions and guarantees that our agency will continue to innovate ways on how to improve our services to our PDLs and their loved ones,” Remulla stressed.
(el Amigo/MNM)
