Monday, October 13, 2008 Galarios begin harvesting, clearing public cemetery By Annabelle L. Ricalde
THE owner of the Cavendish banana trees planted in between rows of tombs inside the Bolonsiri Public Cemetery has begun harvesting and clearing the area in anticipation of the throng of people visiting their departed relatives on All Soul's Day.
Owner Ceriaco Galario, however, requested Acting City Police Director Isagani Genabe Jr. to be given until October 20 to completely clear the cemetery of banana trees. This came after a demolition team led by Genabe went to the cemetery to implement the order tasking the police to clear the area.
"Nihangyo pa si Galario kang Colonel Genabe kutob sa October 20 kay ipaguwang pa ang uban nga bunga (Galario asked Colobel Genabe to give them until October 20 as some of the fruits are not yet mature)," Anila Padla, division chief of City Public Services Office (CPSO), said in a phone interview.
Genabe and the demolition team went to the public cemetery last September 26 and found that Galario had already cut some of the banana trees after harvesting the ripe bananas.
Padla said that on September 19, Mayor Constantino Jaraula issued an order addressed to Genabe for the immediate removal of the banana plantation.
Jaraula's order came after Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro stumbled upon the small plantation inside the public cemetery.
Ceriaco and wife Erlinda Galario have been reaping substantial income from their "plantation" which sits on the public cemetery since 2005.
The couple at first attempted to hide the income they get from planting bananas inside the graveyard saying the harvested bananas fetch only about P3,000 to P4,500 per month.
Barangay Camaman-an chairman Dometillo Acenas, however, said the Galario couple's income is P10,000 to P15,000 a month as told by Ceriaco Galario himself.
The Galarios explained they used to assist CPSO personnel in cleaning the cemetery every year just before All Soul's Day.
"Pero bisan gamay nga honorarium wala mi hatagi sa gobiyerno mao nga nakahukom mi nga tamnan na lang og saging kay sa magsige mi og limpiyo sa tag-as nga sagbot (The government has not given us honorarium, so we decided to plant banana trees in the area than to just cut shrubs and bushes)," Erlinda said when first interviewed by Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro.
But the couple admitted having violated government laws by squatting on government land.
The demolition team and the CPSO assured the couple they will be back on October 20 to fully implement the mayor's order.
