CHR subpoenas CPDRC, PDEA, demands for raid photos, videos

CEBU, Philippines - The Commission on Human Rights (CHR)-7 is asking officers of the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC) and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) to submit various documents and pieces of evidence in relation to the controversy in which inmates were ordered to strip naked.

In a subpoena, the CHR is asking documents, photos and videos related to the drug enforcement agency’s greyhound operation.

Both CPDRC and PDEA are given until March 20 to comply with the said subpoena.

CHR-7 Investigation Division head Leo Villarino told THE FREEMAN yesterday that they personally served last Friday the subpoenas addressed to the heads of CPDRC and PDEA.

“They have to comply within 10 days from receipt,” said Villarino.

As of yesterday afternoon, the human rights office has not received anything from either CPDRC or PDEA.

“We are expecting them that before March 20, those documents will already be in our office,” he said.

CPDRC Jail Warden Roberto “Bobby” Legaspi said he will “submit the documents as soon as possible.”

He said the materials the CHR is asking are actually with the PDEA, which was the lead agency of the raid last February 28.

“All those probably are from PDEA. I was just a witness,” he said.

He said though he will try to produce the needed materials.

Legaspi also said they will reconsider the suggestions of Lito Granada, the inmates’ outgoing prison mayor, particularly on herding together the female and male inmates during greyhound operations.

Granada earlier said that the stripping of inmates in front of women did not sit well with them, saying they were humiliated.

“That probably could be done a little better. We will take that feedback and will make sure it won’t happen again. But during the operation, we did everything and more not to humiliate the inmates,” Legaspi said.

Earlier, CHR-7 has already initiated an investigation into the incident when the inmates at the Capitol-run jail facility were asked to strip naked during the greyhound operation spearheaded by PDEA-7.

Naked photos of inmates, where some are recognizable, made rounds in social media – an event which made human rights organizations frown.

CHR-7 already visited CPDRC last March 3 to start with their investigation by interviewing the involved detainees to determine whether their rights were violated.

Though the commission has solicited contrasting testimonies, Villarino initially concluded that indeed violations were observed.

PDEA-7 Regional Director Yogi Filemon Ruiz, however, said no rights were violated during the raid, saying that was part of the protocol.

Ruiz said he is open to subject himself to the CHR-7’s investigation. — Kristine B. Quintas, May B. Miasco (FREEMAN)