A man is now facing charges for malicious mischief almost a month after he destroyed a tomb at the public cemetery of Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental.

Kabankalan City Police Station Deputy Chief Lt. Dennis Melgareho said yesterday, September 20, the suspect, a resident of the city, surrendered to them on Monday.

“The suspect said he was just intoxicated when he destroyed the tomb without any intention of molesting the cadaver nor stealing any belongings,” Melgareho said.

He said the suspect is now detained at the lockup cell of Kabankalan City Police Station while the documents for the filing of charges against him are being prepared.

Caretakers of the public cemetery were surprised to see an open casket which was taken out from a tomb in the morning of August 29, 2022.

The remains belong to a 67-year-old woman from Barangay Hilamunan, who died of natural causes and was interred at the cemetery at about 5 p.m. on August 28, 2022.

Initially, those who saw the situation of the remains thought that she was molested as there was a twig near her sexual organ and it appears that the cadaver’s clothes have been removed.