Philippines’ Top Forensic Pathologist Dr. Raquel Fortun Anticipates Improved Criminal Investigation System: ‘There’s Hope’
Deficiencies in criminal investigation procedures during the drug war have left many grieving families hopeless and frustrated with the local justice system. This is set to change following the signing of a training partnership agreement between the government and Australia’s Monash University that aims to raise a new breed of forensic experts who will facilitate the proper conduct of death investigations in the country.
Now nearing retirement, forensic pathologist Dr. Raquel Fortun expects a bright future for the local justice system.
“I waited 30 years for this and now, I am 2 1/2 years away from retirement. We don’t have a death investigation system which should be beneficial to our criminal justice system and public health issues. We are not seriously interested in preventing deaths by learning from them,” Dr. Fortun said.
“The partnership of Monash University and the University of the Philippines is a very good beginning. We are looking forward to finally offer forensic science training programs to Filipinos and share research findings and there are already applicants,” she added.
Dr. Fortun is one of only two forensic pathologists in the country. Her independent examinations of some of the bodies of drug war suspects revealed several irregularities in the autopsies previously conducted by law enforcement authorities. It reminded her of the early years of her career when the practice of forensic science was practically “nonexistent in the Philippines."
“Now there’s hope,” she said, describing the collective support from the national government, the University of the Philippines, and the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine (VIFM) of Monash University in improving death investigation procedures locally through specialized training programs.
Dr. Fortun, UP Manila Chancellor Michael Tee, and Professor Craig Jeffrey, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (International) and Senior Vice-President of Monash University jointly signed a Memorandum of Understanding on October 24, 2024, for the conduct of forensic science training and research activities in the Philippines. Students of the training programs will receive either a two-year Forensic Medicine Master’s Degree or a short-term certificate in forensic science jointly from the two learning institutions following Republic Act 11448 or the Transnational Education Law.
The Pathology Department of UP Manila, led by Dr. Fortun and doctors from VIFM developed the framework and curriculum for forensic science education in the Philippines. The trainings are expected to start in February 2025.
In a related development, UP Manila, the Department of Justice, and the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC) earlier entered into an agreement to establish standard investigation procedures for prison deaths. Under the said agreement, the remains of Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDL) who died inside the Bureau of Correction facilities in the National Capital Region and the Correctional Institute for Women will be brought to the UP College of Medicine morgue for forensic autopsy. This aligns with the university’s goals of contributing to the improvement of public health as the partnership includes determining and addressing the causes of deaths of most inmates.#
Text by Jennifer F. Manongdo
Photo by Raffy Lerma (freelance photojournalist) and Joseph A Bautista