‘Strip search of inmates justified’

MANILA, Philippines -  The order for Cebu prisoners to strip during an inspection was justified, Malacañang said yesterday, even as it questioned the spreading of the inmates’ photograph online.

Presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said one must consider the context in which Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III ordered the strip search during a surprise inspection at the provincial jail.

“The security of the inmates and the safety of the search team were a priority. Deadly weapons such as knives have been discovered, according to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency. The action, therefore, was justified,” Abella said in a statement.

“However, the dissemination of the photograph is clearly questionable because it violates the right to privacy of the inmates,” he added.

The photo of the naked prisoners has been circulating online, raising concerns among some sectors who believed the prisoners experienced degrading and inhumane treatment.

Davide has relieved jail warden Gil Macato from his post after inspectors found illegal drugs and other contraband inside the Cebu provincial jail. He clarified though that the relief had nothing to do with the photos of the naked inmates.