ILIGAN CITY -- The remains of four females, six males, and a girl of about 12 years old, all civilians recovered in Marawi City, were laid to rest in a mass grave here on Thursday, June 15.
Danny Capin of Capin Funeral Homes said that the Provincial Crisis Management rescue team of Lanao del Sur brought more than 20 bodies to their establishment from May 27 to June 13.
"Na-claim na ang uban kay na-identify man dayun sila sa ilang mga pamilya. Kining gilubong nato karon, walay pamilya nga mi-claim samtang ang uban dili na gyud mailhan (Some were claimed because they have been identified by their family. The ones who are buried now, no family members came for them while others could not really be identified," said Capin.
Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Assistant City Director Elizabeth Buna said that the Iligan City Government decided that the dead bodies have to be buried because residents near the funeral parlor were already complaining of the odd smell.
"Duna napuy nanggawas nga leeches sa mga lungon. Anyway, nakuhaan naman sila og DNA sample, kung dunay pamilya nga mangita o motan-aw, mobisita lang sila sa atong Regional Command Center sa Barangay Tubod, (There were already leeches that were coming out from the caskets. We already have DNA samples of the bodies, if there will be family members, who will come for them, they can visit the Regional Command Center in Barangay Tubod)," said Buna.
The unidentified bodies were given a decent burial at the public cemetery in Barangay Dalipuga. It was the Economic Enterprise Development and Management Office that conducted the interment service.
The Iligan City Government covered the burial service while the crisis management committee of the Office of the Civil Defense paid the expenses incurred at the funeral parlor.