The Philippines received new forensic equipment from Japan’s Ministry of Justice, a donation officials said would strengthen the country’s capacity to investigate custodial deaths and advance human rights protection.
The equipment, including mortuary refrigerators, autopsy carts, and body scales, was formally turned over on Wednesday to the University of the Philippines Manila (UPM) under Japan’s Institutional Investigation of Custodial Deaths Project. The handover was facilitated by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin said the donation was more than a technical upgrade, describing it as “a gesture of compassion” that affirms dignity even in death.
“At first glance, handing over autopsy instruments can feel like a clinical moment,” Bersamin said.
“Yet this simple act is charged with compassion: it affirms that every life, no matter how brief, deserves respect,” he added.
The donation supports the ongoing establishment of the National Forensics Institute (NFI), a Philippine commitment made during the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Geneva in December 2023.
Bersamin cited a July 2024 declaration of cooperation signed by the Department of Justice (DOJ), UPM and UNODC to strengthen investigations into custodial deaths. Under the agreement, remains of persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) from Bureau of Corrections facilities in Metro Manila will be brought to UPM for independent forensic examination.
“This is a moral commitment to uphold the prompt reporting and independent investigation of custodial deaths,” Bersamin said.
Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Kazuya Endo said the donation, the first for the NFI initiative, would enhance law enforcement and judicial agencies’ forensic capabilities.
UPM Chancellor Michael Tee said the equipment would boost the university’s forensic pathology facilities and training programs, while UP President Angelo Jimenez reaffirmed the university’s role as the NFI’s academic backbone.
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, in remarks delivered by Undersecretary Deo Marco, said the donation was “more than technology; it is a lifeline for truth.”
Bureau of Corrections Director General Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. highlighted reforms in prison facilities and stressed the need for transparency in handling custodial deaths.
UNODC Philippines Country Head Daniele Marchesi said the government’s openness had made cooperation on forensic standards effective, while UPM forensic pathologist Dr. Raquel Fortun expressed hope the NFI would expand beyond custodial deaths to broader death investigations.
The NFI technical working group is co-chaired by the Office of the Executive Secretary and the DOJ, with members from several agencies including the Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Health, Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Budget and Management, Commission on Higher Education, UPM and the Presidential Human Rights Committee Secretariat.
