Lapu-Lapu Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan inspects the Municipal Cemetery of Lapu-Lapu City in Barangay Bun-og, where alleged unauthorized and illegal “pricey” burials are being conducted in the evenings for a price ranging from P12,000 to P25,000. | Photo from Lapu-Lapu City PIO
CEBU CITY, Philippines — P12,000 to P25,0000.
This was the range of payment allegedly being collected by “contractors” from grieving families just so their deceased loved ones, regardless if they died of COVID-19 or not, could be buried in “substandard” niches in the filled up Lapu-Lapu City Municipal Cemetery in Barangay Gun-ob.
The cemetery has stopped accepting burials for years due to a lack of space.
City Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan, on Tuesday, July 22, 2020, visited the cemetery following reports of the anomalous transactions there.
Chan said that the activities are not only illegal since they do not have the permission of the city government, which owns the cemetery, but also violates safety protocols set by the Department of Health (DOH) in handling the deceased.
“Maoy atong gisusi kay dagko kaayo og pinangayoan unya wala pa gyuy pa pagtugot sa atong local nga kagamhana ang pagpatukod sa mga nitso… Ang atoa, illegal ilang gibuhat. Ikaduha, wala nisunod sa safety protocols sa DOH,” Chan told CDN Digital via phone.
(We inspected it because we heard that they have been collecting so much even if they are not authorized by the local government to build the niches. For us, this is illegal. Second, this does not follow the safety protocols set by the DOH.)
“Atong nakita nga dili selyado ang lubnganan. Naa gani mga nag-agas-agas,” the mayor added.
(We found out that tombs are not well-sealed. There are even fluids coming out of them.)
During his visit, which was streamed live on his Facebook page, he chanced upon a group of boys who were building niches made of hollow blocks on top of the old tombs in the cemetery.
According to the boys, who were asked by Chan, a councilman of barangay Gun-ob and the family members of the deceased asked them to build the niches.
“Ang katong konsehal nagtrabaho to sa barangay. Gipatawag na na sila sa barangay kay duna man toy complaint sa mga neighboring (communities) nga nagreklamo nganong gipalubngan. Ang sulti sa kapitan, ‘sabot-sabota lang na ninyo.’ Murag gi-tolerate sa kapitan ang pagpalubong,” Chan said.
(The councilor works in the barangay. They were called by the barangay because of a complaint from neighboring communities who were wondering why they were still burying there. The village chief told them, ‘just come to an agreement.’ It’s as if the village chief tolerated the burial.)
Chan said the barangay has no authority to allow or authorize any burial in the cemetery since the area is not a property of the village but of the city government.
He said that he will order an investigation with the City Legal Office to find out if the village officials are to be held answerable for the anomalies in the cemetery.
Gun-ob Barangay Captain Eleonor Fontanoza, in a separate phone interview, said the burials in the municipal cemetery has been going on for about two weeks.
However, she said that the barangay had no hand in any transaction or payment for the burials.
Fontanoza said the barangay only issued certifications, acknowledging that a body will be buried in the cemetery, and not burial permits as she admitted that the barangay has no authority over the cemetery.
“Wala mi authority. Gi-acknowledge lang nga nakahibawo mi nga naay lubong. As to the bayad, wala mi gi-collect nga any single centavo,” Fontanoza told CDN Digital.
Aside from the pricey burial, Chan said he also received reports that some remains of those who have long been buried in the cemetery are being burnt during the night.
Chan said the individuals engaging in the anomalous transactions in the cemetery took advantage of the demand for burial spaces due to the COVID-19 pandemic. /bmjo