Police tap barangays to help prevent ‘unauthorized burials’ in Cebu City
The Pardo public cemetery. | file photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines – To prevent ‘unauthorized burials’ in Cebu City, police here have coordinated with the barangay officials to help monitor cemeteries under their jurisdiction.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Wilbert Parilla, deputy director for operations of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), said they have coordinated with barangay officials through the chief of police stations, to help monitor if all the burials were reported to the City Health Department (CHD).
Parilla reiterated that burials with no permits and other government-issued documents are not allowed considering that disposal of bodies without any permit is risky and may endanger public health amid the pandemic.
He also emphasized that a dead person who tested positive for COVID-19 should be buried within 24 hours. However, he stressed that it is not an excuse that they could not get clearance from the CHD not to bury their dead within the allowed time limit.
“Once nga positive ang usa ka tawo nga mamatay tungod sa COVID, right away kon gusto nga ipa-cremate sa tagtungod, kinahanglan within 24 hours ma-cremate siya. But kon within 24 hours wala pa sila maka pa schedule og cremation, ang suggestion sa City Health is ilubong lang gyud siya deretso within 24 hours,” said Parilla.
“Kinahanglan na siya og clearance sa Cebu City Health ang paglubong. Mao na nga ato pang gipa monitor ang mga pampubliko nga mga sam-ang nga ang katong ilubong didto kinahanglan duna gyuy mga clearance gikan sa city health,” he added.
Meanwhile, Councilor David Tumulak earlier warned cemetery workers to stop under-the-table transactions with bereaved families, offering slots only for those willing to pay an ‘extra price.’
This after his office received reports that some cemetery workers are allegedly practicing such illicit transactions.
Tumulak said that it would be the Cadaver Section of the CHD that will assign a burial spot to the bereaved families. /rcg
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