The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) is now investigating reports of the alleged illegal strip search conducted on a visitor of a person deprived of liberty (PDL) inside the Metro Manila District Jail Annex 4 (MMDJ-4) at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City.
In a statement, BJMP spokesperson Chief Insp. Jayrex Bustinera said it will not tolerate any nefarious acts committed by its personnel in connection with the incident.
“We would like to assure the public that the BJMP follows strict policies and procedures for the searching of visitors to our facilities, in line with the BJMP Comprehensive Operations Manual and SOPs (standard operating procedures) on the conduct of body searches as well as the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (Mandela Rules),’’ Bustinera stressed.
Bustinera emphasized that these procedures are in place “to prevent contraband from entering our jail facilities. Also, these searching protocols are all implemented to all visitors entering our jail facilities.”
However, Bustinera maintained that in case of irregularities at the MMDJ-4, the BJMP will not hesitate to take appropriate action against those found to be responsible.
He vowed that the BJMP will not take sides and “will take appropriate measures based on the findings’’ of the on-going investigation.
“The BJMP remains committed to the safety and security of all those in our custody, as well as the rights and dignity of visitors to our facilities. We assure the public that we will always take immediate necessary steps to address issues in our jail facilities,’’ Bustinera continued.
In a GMA News report, the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) has joined in the probe of the incident at the MMDJ Annex-4 after having received a complaint through its Public Assistance and Complaints Desk.
The complainant allegedly told the CHR that on Jan. 8 when visiting her father she was asked to lift her top so that the jail custodian can search her undergarments for contrabands in a room without doors or even curtains.
It was also noted that the food items the visitors brought in transparent containers were opened and poked with used sticks based on the report received by the CHR.
The CHR said the victim was neither informed of her rights nor was she asked to sign a waiver prior to the search. (Chito A. Chavez)