The Philippine government underscored that the donation of new forensic equipment from Japan’s Ministry of Justice strengthens the country’s capacity to uphold justice and human rights, which is aligned with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s governance agenda of transparency, accountability, and respect for human dignity.

Executive Secretary Lucas P. Bersamin said the donation of new forensic equipment from Japan’s Ministry of Justice is both a gesture of compassion and a boost to the country’s forensic capacity through local and international partnerships.

In his keynote message during the ceremony on Wednesday, Bersamin described the handover of autopsy instruments to the University of the Philippines Manila (UPM) as more than a technical upgrade.

“At first glance, handing over autopsy instruments can feel like a clinical moment,” Bersamin said.

“Yet this simple act is charged with compassion: it affirms that every life, no matter how brief, deserves respect, and that even in loss, we are committed to honoring dignity, comforting those who grieve, and uncovering the truth,” Bersamin added.

The handover marked another significant milestone in the ongoing establishment of the National Forensics Institute (NFI), a global pledge of the Philippines at the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Geneva, Switzerland in December 2023.

The equipment, comprising of mortuary refrigerators, autopsy carts, and body scales, was donated by the Japanese government’s Ministry of Justice under its “Institutional Investigation of Custodial Deaths Project.”

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) facilitated the handover from the Japanese Embassy in the Philippines.”

Bersamin likewise cited how the “synergistic collaboration among our agencies, the academe, and our international partners is fast-tracking the establishment of the National Forensics Institute.”

Bersamin mentioned as example the Declaration of Cooperation to Strengthen Procedures to Investigate Custodial Deaths of Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDL), which the Department of Justice (DOJ), UPM, and UNODC Philippines signed on July 11, 2024.

Under this declaration, the remains of deceased PDLs from Bureau of Corrections facilities in Metro Manila will be transferred to UPM for independent autopsy and forensic examination.

“This is a moral commitment to uphold the prompt reporting and independent investigation of custodial deaths,” Bersamin emphasized.

Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Kazuya Endo expressed confidence that the donation, the first from Japan for the NFI establishment, would further support the government’s efforts to strengthen the forensic capabilities of law enforcement agencies and judicial authorities.

UPM Chancellor Michael Tee meanwhile noted that the new equipment will boost UPM’s forensic pathology facilities, ensuring more efficient conduct of independent autopsies and providing essential tools for training future forensic specialists.

UP President Angelo Jimenez reaffirmed the University’s role as the academic backbone of the NFI, citing the pioneering work of its forensic pathologists who have sustained their passion in the field.

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, co-chair of the NFI Technical Working Group (TWG), in his statement delivered by Undersecretary Deo Marco, stressed the value of the donated equipment was “more than technology; it is a lifeline for truth.”

“It is a way to ensure that every person deprived of liberty, regardless of their circumstances, is treated with dignity, and that any loss of life is examined with transparency, accountability, and care,” Remulla said.

Director General Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. of the Bureau of Corrections highlighted the government’s duty to ensure transparency in custodial deaths, noting reforms to improve the conditions of PDLs, including partnerships with the UP on online education.

Mr. Daniele Marchesi, Country Head of UNODC Philippines, meanwhile highlighted the ease of international cooperation with the Philippines, particularly in advancing forensic standards, due to the government agencies’ enthusiasm and openness to productive engagement.

Finally, Dr. Raquel del Rosario-Fortun, noted forensic pathologist at the UPM, expressed hope that with more support, the NFI can go beyond the investigation of custodial deaths to all cases of death that need to be resolved appropriately.

The NFI TWG is co-chaired by the Office of the Executive Secretary and the DOJ. Its members are the Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Health, Department of Budget and Management, Commission on Higher Education, UPM, and the Presidential Human Rights Committee Secretariat.