Wives of political prisoners complain over degrading strip search at NBP

Wives of political prisoners file formal complaints before the Commission on Human Rights on Monday, May 6, 2024. Photo courtesy of Kapatid

MANILA, Philippines — Wives of political prisoners filed a complaint against what they call a “degrading and traumatic” strip search at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) during their last visit on April 21, according to support organization Kapatid.

Kapatid said members filed formal complaints before the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) office in Quezon City on Monday morning.

“The humiliating experience of the wives of political prisoners need to be investigated for outright violations of international and national laws governing the treatment of prisoners and visitors and violence against women as well as for brazen harassment,” said Fides Lim, spokesperson of Kapatid, the support group of families of political prisoners.

Lim revealed that NPB jail officers continued searching the wives even after pleading that they were not carrying illegal drugs or contraband. She added that the procedure took place at the visiting area of the NBP Maximum Security Compound under the Inmate Visitation Service Unit.

Before this, the wives were requested to sign a waiver for the strip search, but Lim claimed that the waiver was used to “abuse and body cavity search,” which is “in violation of the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners stating that intrusive searches should be undertaken ‘only if absolutely necessary.'”

Sharing the statement of one of the wives, Kapatid narrated how a jail searcher ignored her explanation and made her sign a waiver for the procedure, which she claimed included lifting of her shirt and upper undergarments, as well as removal of her pants and underwear.

“Halos umiiyak at nanginginig ang katawan habang pinatataas ang t-shirt at bra, pinahubad din ang pants at panty,” a 63-year-old wife, Gloria Almonte said in her written statement.

(I almost cried, and my body was shaking while they were lifting my t-shirt and bra and removing my pants and underwear.)

“Pina-squat ng tatlong beses at pinatuwad kasabay pinabuka pati ari upang silipin kung may tinatagong illegal. Ang ganitong pinagawa o ginawa sa akin ni ma’am ay talagang masakit, nararamdaman ko sa mga oras na yun,” she added.

(They told me to squat three times and to bend over to check our private parts for contrabands. I was hurt and unwilling to do that at that time.)

Another wife, 43-year-old Maricel, was instructed the same when she visited and brought food to her husband. Besides the two, another wife named MC underwent the same procedure last March 31 and April 21.

“I was very upset. It’s not right to make you squat five times and also to be searched three times as if waiting for something to come out of my body. Only animals do that. I signed the waiver against my will, otherwise I won’t be able to see my husband,” MC said.

In line with this, Kapatid filed the complaint and expressed its hope that CHR will take action to address the matter as the commission did when they filed a similar complaint after a daughter of a political prisoner was subjected to a strip search at the Metro Manila District Jail Annex 4 in Camp Bagong Diwa, Bicutan, Taguig City.

The group also said that ACT Teachers Rep. France Castro and Gabriela Rep. Arlene Brosas said that they “will push for a congressional investigation into the dehumanizing incidents when frisking could have sufficed to avoid these humiliating search procedures that are uncalled for and smack of harassment.”

INQUIRER.net sought the Bureau of Corrections’ side for a comment, but it has yet to respond as of posting time.