Bohol PNP investigators train on DNA databasing

CEBU, Philippines - The Bohol Police force moved to further improve crime solution by equipping its investigators with sufficient knowledge on DNA sample collection from arrested persons for databasing.

Chief Inspector David Alexander Patriana, chief of the Bohol Provincial Crime Laboratory Office, last Friday facilitated the conduct of the seminar on DNA sample collection for 95 investigators on-case from 48 police stations of 47 towns and Tagbilaran City.

“It was the first out-of-greater Manila seminar on DNA sample collection as requested by the Aviation Security Group in Cebu,” said Patriana, who is a medical technologist by profession, and now a forensic officer and DNA analyst of the Police Regional Office-7.

The seminar focused on DNA sampling to establish the profiles of arrested persons that will be documented for databasing since they had already established the procedure on the collection of evidence at the crime scene.

Patriana said it is important for investigators to undergo such seminar as they are the ones who are in contact with the victims.

The training is in line with the 2015 directive of the PNP Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management (DIDM) on the “collection of DNA samples from arrested person and persons under custody and registration of their DNA profiles into the PNP DNA Database."

Patriana said: “Having in mind, the project of the DIDM, I started it here in Bohol. In Manila, they already started it because of their accessibility to the laboratory facilities. Here, we implemented it ahead though it is not yet disseminated throughout the country. Cebu will follow.”

He also said investigators can efficiently deliver justice to the victims through crime solution if DNA samples are well preserved and profiling of the arrested persons through DNA database.

“If we have no standards, we cannot deliver justice to the victims. And it is important for our honor and commitment to service. If we do something, do it best. If you do your best, you do it right or you will just waste your effort. It is through crime solution that we deliver justice to the victims,” said Patriana. (FREEMAN)