Town wants say on issue over graveyards

CEBU, Philippines - Daanbantayan Mayor Augusto Corro has asked the Department of Health that the municipality be given a role in the formulation of the recommendations which will be submitted to the Office of the Governor with regards to the issue on closed cemeteries in the town.

Corro said this in reply to the letter of DOH 7 regional director, Dr. Asuncion Anden, which reminded him of the laws pertaining to the operation of cemeteries, following reports of indiscriminate burial in cemeteries already closed by the previous administration.

The reminder came in response to the letter of former mayor Ma. Luisa Loot requesting the DOH to investigate the report.

Corro also has a letter dated Nov. 22, 2011, issued by Atty. Marino Martinquilla of the Cebu Provincial Legal Office saying that the closure order issued by the municipality is illegal, null and void.

The letter also stated that the Cebu Provincial Police Office shall maintain the peace and order in the area and “not to implement the closure of the said cemeteries nor assist in its implementation.”

“This ruling of the Cebu Provincial Legal Office is the latest legal document on file to guide us regarding the closure of the alleged ‘illegal cemeteries’,” Corro said.

In his letter dated Aug. 5, 2013, Corro assured Anden that they will assist DOH in conducting status inventory of the cemeteries of Daanbantayan, as provided for in the letter of Martinquilla.

The provision was among the agreements in a meeting initiated by former governor, now third district Rep. Gwendolyn Garcia, last Nov. 21, 2011 between owners, operators, administrators of said cemeteries and the concerned sectors.

Officials of the Daanbantayan Roman Catholic Church, DOH-7, Human Rights Commission-7, and CPPO attended the said meeting.

Loot, who lost to Corro in the last May 13 elections, earlier reported that even before the newly-elected officials led by Corro took their oath, a number of their supporters started burying their dead in some of the closed cemeteries.

In a letter dated July 24, 2013 addressed to Corro, Anden cited provisions of Presidential Decree 856 otherwise known as the Sanitation Code of the Philippines.

Daanbantayan used to have 42 public cemeteries but 37 were ordered closed by the DOH in 2010 due to various violations.

To date, the town has five public cemeteries located in barangays Bitoon, Maya, Talisay, Tuminjao and Calape.

Last Oct. 11, 2011, Loot ordered the cessation of burials in unauthorized burial grounds, as recommended by the DOH-7.

The issue was used by Loot’s political rivals during the campaign in the last elections. Corro allegedly promised to his supporters during the campaign to reopen these cemeteries if he is re-elected.  (FREEMAN)