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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider BuCor assures: No whitewash in probe on strip searches at Bilibid

BuCor assures: No whitewash in probe on strip searches at Bilibid

Published May 17, 2024 05:34 am

The Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) assured on Friday, May 17, that there will be no whitewash in the investigation by the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) on the strip searches conducted on visitors of persons deprived of liberty (PDLs).

“We submitted to this investigation to prove that we have nothing to hide. In fact we welcomed this CHR's investigation which started Monday afternoon,” said BuCor Director General Gregorio Pio P. Catapang Jr.

Earlier, an advocacy group Karapatan had alleged there could be a whitewash in the investigation.

Catapang reminded that the CHR is at “the forefront of this investigation.”

"How can there be a possibility of whitewash? Let us stick to the facts and not muddle and politicize the issue,” he stressed.

“The seven corrections officers directly involved with the strip cavity search were just awaiting the subpoena from CHR for them to submit their sworn statements,” he added.

The CHR investigation stemmed from the complaints filed by Gloria Almonte and Maricel Alcántara, the wives of two PDLs.  The wives claimed they were subjected to "humiliating, degrading, and traumatic" strip searches at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City last April 11 when they visited their detained husbands. 

Citing BuCor records, Catapang said that Gloria had been visiting her husband, Dionisio Almonte,19 times since he was brought to the Bilibid last Nov. 4 last year after being convicted by a Taguig City court for rebellion and sentenced to imprisonment ranging from 10 years up to 17 years and four months.

In the case of Maricel, Catapang said, she had visited 16 times her husband, Philip Alcantara, since he was brought to the NBP last Nov. 12 after his conviction for illegal possession of an explosive and illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.

He added that all visitors were asked to accomplish a waiver for the conduct of the stip searches.

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