Nat’l Forensics Institute to rise in UP Manila
It’s where the pursuit of justice and the rigors of science may soon intersect.
Officials on Wednesday held the groundbreaking rites at the future site of the National Forensics Institute (NFI), which is expected to be a crucial partner of agencies involved in criminal investigation, law enforcement, national security and disaster response, among others.
The NFI will rise within the campus of the University of the Philippines Manila (UPM), which will also be offering a masteral course in forensic medicine in the first semester of the coming academic year.
Foremost center
The institute seeks to address long-standing gaps in the country’s forensic capacity and be particularly helpful in identifying victims of crimes or mass casualty events, or proving the innocence or guilt of accused individuals through scientifically established evidence.
Among the officials at the groundbreaking were Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, UP president Angelo Jimenez and UPM chancellor Michael Tee.
Also present were Australian Ambassador to the Philippines HK Yu and Craig Jeffrey, senior vice president of Monash University in Melbourne.
“We will be certain about the cause of death of cases of sudden unexpected and unexplained deaths. We will also be certain about the scientific evidence needed for the conviction or acquittal of our suspects,” Jonvic said.
According to Jimenez, the NFI is “part of a broader national effort to address the urgent need for a comprehensive forensic medicine program—one that advances justice and protects human rights.”
To be equipped with cutting-edge technology and applying UP’s rigorous academic training, the NFI “is envisioned to be the country’s foremost center for forensic education, research, and service, supporting science-based criminal investigations and strengthening the medico-legal system,” he added.
Australian support
The forensic medicine program will have faculty members from the Monash University of Australia and UPM, including Dr. Raquel Fortun and Dr. Cecilia Lim—the only two forensic pathologists in the Philippines—other experts in anthropology, toxicology, and law.
The development of the program was partially funded by the Australian government.
“As academics like to say, these are in partial fulfillment of the requirements to address a long-standing gap in forensic capacity-empowering professionals to serve justice that is backed by science,” Tee said.
“With this, the Department of Justice and the Department of the Interior and Local Government can confidently say to those questioning their prosecution work, that the evidence is strong enough to warrant a conviction,” he added.
Jimenez said the program could hopefully train and produce more forensic medicine experts in the country.
PH pledge
“Years from now, when the impact of a strong, science-based forensic system is felt by families affected by mass casualty disasters, by victims seeking justice, or when the wrongly accused is cleared, we will look back and remember that it all began when UP and Monash University dared to push the boundaries of forensic science,” Tee said.
The establishment of the NFI is among the Philippine government’s key pledges during the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Geneva, Switzerland, on Dec. 10, 2023.
In January this year, President Marcos issued Administrative Order No. 29, creating a technical working group for the setup of the institute.
