THE city of Marikina is offering free cremation of the human remains improperly handled by the cemetery’s personnel after exhumation from the Barangka Public Cemetery.
Mayor Marcelino “Marcy” Teodoro said the local government is currently trying to locate and contact the affected families of the dead.
Based on the initial accounting of the City Health Office, 65 human remains have been accounted for, so far.
Mayor Marcelino “Marcy” Teodoro
“Kinokontak natin ngayon ang mga pamilya na may mga labi na natagpuan nitong nakaraang araw, na nakalagay ngayon sa isang temporary holding facility (We are still contacting the families of those human remains that were exhumed Thursday, which are placed in a temporary holding facility),” said Teodoro.
The mayor said that the local government will shoulder the cremation of the remains if the affected families wish to do so. They will be given options, including the transfer of the remains to the ossuary or columbarium.
“At ‘yung iba na gugustuhing ma-cremate, ipa-cremate natin ng libre at ilalagay natin sa columbarium (Those who choose to have the remains of their loved ones cremated, we will do so, free of charge and we will place the ashes at the columbarium),” he said.
He said affected families may contact the new management of the Barangka Public Cemetery or the Marikina City Health Office led by Dr. Christopher Guevara.
Further, the mayor said that a Holy Mass will be held at the Barangka Public Cemetery on November 2 to pay respects to the exhumed remains.
“May misa tayo na gagawin sa November 2 para sa mga labi,” he said.
On Oct. 31, the local government filed charges against Barangka Cemetery personnel for alleged improper handling of human remains.
The complaint, lodged with the Marikina City Prosecutors’ Office, was filed against cemetery personnel in collusion with private individuals who conducted unauthorized and illegal exhumation of human remains.
Dr. Christopher Guevara, head of the City Epidemiology Surveillance Unit, and Rolando Dalusong, chief of Environmental Health and Sanitation, filed the complaint, citing violations of Presidential Decree 856 (Philippine Sanitation Code) and its Implementing Rules and Regulations, specifically Section 5, which forbids unauthorized exhumation or disturbance of remains without a permit.
An inspection by the City Health Office discovered human remains inside plastic bags left in open areas of the cemetery, which were reportedly exhumed without approval from the City Health Office-Sanitation Section.
The complaint emphasized that these actions not only breached sanitation guidelines but also disrespected the deceased, causing emotional distress to families and the community.
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