QUEZON City 2nd District Rep. Precious Hipolito Castelo has filed a bill that will establish the Philippine Forensic Science Institute to boost the country’s forensic capability.

Castelo said House Bill 8323 or the proposed Philippine Forensic Science Institute Act aims to address the country’s lack of forensic experts.

“It was shocking to hear that in a country with more than a hundred million population, only two are forensic pathologists,” Castelo said in her explanatory note.

The lawmaker explained that forensic science is the application of scientific principles and techniques to matters of criminal justice especially as relating to the collection, examination, and analysis of physical evidence.

Forensic pathology, on the other hand, is a field of forensic science which involves application of pathological methods in investigation of a crime of sudden, suspicious or unexplained deaths.

“Certainly, the dearth of forensic science experts contributes to the turtle-paced criminal justice system in the Philippines,” Castelo said.

Under the bill, the PFSI shall be an attached agency of the Department of Science and Technology.

It will provide state-of-the-art forensic science facilities and technology; conduct relevant studies for the improvement of forensic science capabilities; and create a deeper pool of forensic science experts through the conduct of state-funded trainings and instruction.