The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) on Saturday welcomed the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) commitment to conduct forensic autopsies on deceased prisoners.
In an agreement recently signed by the DOJ and the CHR, the DOJ was tasked to look into the deaths of inmates in the custody of the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor), in accordance with international standards and good practices.
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla signed the declaration of cooperation aimed at enhancing procedures for investigating custodial deaths of inmates. The declaration was also signed by the University of the Philippines (UP) College of Medicine and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
The agreement provides that DOJ will ensure that deceased inmates from prisons in Metro Manila, including the Correctional Institution for Women, are immediately transported to the UP College of Medicine for forensic autopsies. UP pathologists will perform the autopsies following international standards.
Meanwhile, the UNODC will provide technical assistance and support to maintain collaborative efforts. Rule 71 of the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, also known as the Nelson Mandela rules states that “the prison director shall report, without delay, any custodial death, disappearance or serious injury to a judicial or other competent authority that is independent of the prison administration and mandated to conduct prompt, impartial and effective investigations into the circumstances and causes of such cases. The prison administration shall fully cooperate with that authority and ensure that all evidence is preserved.”
