MANILA — The Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) announced Wednesday that 7 of its personnel were relieved of their duties ahead of the investigation into the alleged "dehumanizing" body searches suffered by some visiting relatives of political prisoners.

READ: BuCor to launch probe after prisoners' wives report 'degrading' strip search

The seven will be placed under "attached or unassigned" at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) Superintendent's Office, the BuCor said in a statement.

The investigation on the 7 corrections officers will focus on "how they conducted their strip search, whether they violated protocol on the conduct of strip search being implemented by the bureau."

Advocacy group Kapatid earlier reported several accounts of "dehumanizing" body search experienced by kin of political prisoners, with women ordered to take off all their clothes —including underwear — before being made to squat multiple times with their private parts exposed.

Kapatid said the victims already filed formal complaints at the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) on Monday.

Carlos Conde of Human Rights Watch said that while body searches are allowed by international law, "it has to be done [only] when absolutely necessary."

READ: DOJ orders probe on alleged abusive body searches in prison facilities

BuCor senior inspector Abel Ciruela, Camp Commander of the New Bilibid Prison Maximum Security Camp, pointed out that PDL visitors are given a waiver of right to frisk/pat, rub, strip and/or visual cavity search and those who do not voluntarily submit themselves to undergo the strip cavity search may be available of the BuCor’s E-Dalaw or online visitation.

In defending the strip searches, the BuCor said that "about 30 PDL visitors" had attempted to sneak contraband into penal facilities from Oct. 2023 to March this year.