Woman’s strip search by laughing cops an ‘abuse of authority’ — Gabriela          

MANILA, Philippines — A women’s group on Thursday condemned the move of the Makati City police to conduct strip search on alleged drug suspects.

An ABS-CBN report also showed video clips when police officers were seen laughing and smiling during the strip search which involved a naked woman. They were required to stoop down naked.

The search reportedly happened at the Makati police headquarters sometime in March 2017.

“There is no excuse for such an act,” Gabriela Philippines said in a statement.

“It is an abuse of authority on the part of the police personnel involved,” it added.

The group said the strip search is an effect of President Rodrigo Duterte’s previous anti-women and poor remarks.

“It is a yet another instance of how President Duterte's own denigration of women and disregard for the rights of the poor rub off on the state's armed forces,” Gabriela said.

The women's group is calling for a thorough investigation.

They also called on other women who have experienced abuse in the hands of the police to report their story to the public.

Gabriela Youth also joined Gabriela Philippines in its call for investigation into the strip search. It added that they want those responsible for the stip search be held liable.

The Commission on Human Rights also expressed dismay over the body search incident which it described as "alarming."

"It is alarming that even after we have passed a law against torture, incidents such as this continue to happen in closed quarters, especially that police officers are involved," CHR Commissioner Gwendolyn Pimentel Gana said in a statement.

The CHR urged the PNP "to open a transparent investigation on the case, where perpetrators will be accountable beyond mere suspension from their duty for violating RA 9745."

Republic Act 9745 is also known as "Anti-Torture Act of 2009." It ensures that the human rights of persons, including suspects, detainees and prisoners are respected at all times.

The law also stated "that no person placed under investigation or held in custody of any person in authority or, agent of a person authority shall be subjected to physical, psychological or mental harm, force, violence, threat or intimidation or any act that impairs his/her free will or in any manner demeans or degrades human dignity."

The CHR said it has dispatched a Quick Response Team to probe the incident.

'Strip search just a demo'

In a radio interview with dzMM, Makati City Police Chief Rogelio Simon said they are already conducting an investigation into the controversial strip search.

“Because the police should be the ones protecting the rights of the people, especially women. I think there is a violation here,” Simon said in Filipino over dzMM.

Simon said he was told that the procedure was a demonstration of a strip search. He said he was informed that the female drug suspect, consented to the procedure for monetary consideration.

According to Simon, strip search is commonly being conducted to allay suspicion that illegal drugs are concealed by the suspects.

Despite this, Simon still believes the police committed violation because of the manner the body search was done.

Police officers sacked

Meanwhile, Philippine National Police Oscar Albayalde already fired the four police officers involved in the strip search while a full probe into the incident is still ongoing. 

They were identified as follows:

• Senior Inspector Valmark Funelas
• Police Officer 1 Stephanie Limhap
• PO1 Heizelle Maramag
• PO1 Francis Intia

In March last year, the Department of the Interior and Local Government has ordered an investigation into the incident at the Cebu provincial jail where prisoners were made to strip naked during a surprise contraband search. The strip search also earned criticisms after photos of the inmates naked circulated only.

READ: ‘Strip search of inmates justified’

The Palace, however, said that safety of the inmates were prioritized by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency. — Rosette Adel