Cops told to stop ‘unauthorized burials’ in Cebu City cemeteries

Cebu City cemeteries are now experiencing shortage in burial spaces. | File Photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu City cops were given a new task which is to prevent “unauthorized burials” in the different cemeteries here.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Wilbert Parilla, deputy director for operations of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), said they have been getting reports on burials that were made despite the lack of permits and other government issued documents.

Wanting to discourage this kind of a practice, Parilla said that the chiefs of the 11 police stations in the city were already ordered to include cemeteries in their monitoring.

The deployment of personnel to monitor activities in cemeteries that are located within their respective jurisdictions started on Friday, August 6.

Parilla said that the disposal of bodies without any burial permit is risky and may endanger public health especially since the city and the rest of Cebu is still under a pandemic.

If this practice is true, Parilla suspects that bodies that are brought to cemeteries for unauthorized burials are those of individuals who died in their respective homes and were no longer reported to the City Health Department that is part of the normal procedure.

Police Major Janelito Marquez, chief of Labangon Police Station, said he deployed at least five personnel, including an intelligence officer, to verify reports on unauthorized burials in their area.

But so far, they have not received any reports that this is currently being practiced at the Labangon Bliss Cemetery.

He said that there were similar reports last year, but these were not also proven.

Last July 27,  Councilor Dave Tumulak said that the city is now experiencing a shortage in burial spaces.

READ: Shortage of burial spaces in Cebu City cemeteries noted

/ dcb