Inday Potenciana's mummy draws "devotees"

ANDA, BOHOL, Philippines — It's exactly 61 years this month since Potenciana Saranza, popularly known as "Inday Potenciana," died of a vehicular accident at Gingoog City in Misamis Oriental where she worked as a public school teacher.

Inday Potenciana was a native of this town, which is about 100 kilometers east of Tagbilaran City. But her death and mystery of her mummified cadaver have long been mystifying residents and even drawing more and more devotees from places, far and wide.

For Susan Silud, caretaker of the chapel where the "mummified" remains of Inday Potenciana are placed, there is more than what her corpse may offer: Devotees claims of miracles and some sort of healing.

One account of such claims was from a certain patient who was about to undergo medical operations but suddenly his ailment was gone, after visiting Inday Potenciana. Without naming the patient and his place of origin, Silud told The Freeman that the patient frequented the burial site and lighted candles while praying.

Another claim was that many who were about to take their board examinations had their wishes to pass reportedly granted after they faithfully visited her tomb, Silud said.

Until today, however, church authorities neither deny nor confirm such claim as work of miracles. But some observers said Filipino curiosity, if not being superstitious, may proved otherwise as if it has been part of their culture.

Because of Inday Potenciana's bizarre story, especially on her mummified body, a lot of big media outfits, including giant TV companies in the country, came here to document the story, Silud said.

Inday Potenciana was born on May 19, 1925 and died on April 1, 1953 at the age of 29. She was supposed to be 89 years old this year. She was the eldest of six siblings, with Victoria Saranza Tampos as her only surviving sister. Silud said Inday was very religious and never got married. She died on the spot when the truck she was riding met an accident and its falling load of logs crushed her head.

She was buried in Gingoog City but, ten years after, her family decided to bring her body to this town. They were however surprised to see her like she was just sleeping and looked like she just died a day before, Silud said.

Be that as it may, the family buried Inday Potenciana at Poblacion first but later transferred her to the municipal cemetery, about two kilometers from the town proper, said Silud.

To this day, her cadaver, looking like a mummified one, is placed on a concrete tomb inside a chapel of the town's cemetery. Her face, which can be gleaned from a glass pane, looks blackened as a result of what Silud called "acid" splashed on her. Authorities of this town sprayed on Inday the "acid" or some chemical of sort, apparently for purposes of protecting the health of residents here.

Silud said she remembered well that at one time she did not expect what she saw. More than 50 busloads of devotee came in to visit and pray and light candles on the tomb of Inday Potenciana. Some always come here as part of their personal "panaad" and pray for wishes. But there's no particular time that devotees flocked the cemetery, she said adding that many "devotees" are expected every Holy Week observance.  (FREEMAN)