Bacolod City Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran said yesterday that charges should be filed against the people involved in illegal removal of tombs at the Burgos Public Cemetery.
Familiaran is currently the acting mayor as designated by Mayor Evelio Leonardia who is traveling abroad.
He said he is still waiting for the result of the investigation conducted by the General Services Office (GSO).
Familiaran added that he will call the attention of caretaker Ricardo Repogio and alleged contractor and job order casual Winston Mullner.
“If it is proven that they are involved in illegal activity, charges should be filed against them. This will be one of the grounds for dismissal from the government service. This is disrespectful and a grave offense,” he added.
GSO head Jerome Solinap had earlier ordered an investigation after he received complaints from two residents that the tombs of their loved ones at Burgos Public Cemetery were found missing.
On November 1, a couple filed a complaint before the Police Station 4 against Repogio and Mullner.
They said that five graves, containing the bones of their eight departed family members, were missing and instead, the area was already occupied by the mausoleum of Diaz family.
When the couple confronted Repogio, he pointed them to Mullner, who was allegedly the contractor for the mausoleum and the one who demolished the tombs.
Repogio, a regular city employee, said he discovered the construction of the mausoleum on October 29. He added that Mullner, a job order casual assigned at Libertad Public Market, and is nowhere to be found.
Solinap had earlier said it is the responsibility of the caretaker to monitor illegal activities inside the cemetery.
Familiaran said he also received another complaint yesterday of a missing tomb, wherein the area is now occupied as a toilet.
He advised the complainant to send a letter addressed to the mayor and the City Council regarding the incident.
The vice mayor said the illegal activities inside the public cemetery should be stopped and the GSO should assign a qualified employee in the area.
He also supported the recommendation of Solinap to disallow the informal settlers inside the cemetery.
Councilor Wilson Gamboa Jr. said Friday he has received a copy of the ocular inspection report of the City Health Office (CHO).
Gamboa said that based on the November 2 assessment of the CHO the Burgos Public Cemetery is already overpopulated where tombs and niches are in a topsy-turvy arrangement obstructing passageways.
Also some niches are open and tombstones are replaced with another name without prior notice and permission. About 28 contractors were identified by the caretaker.
Uncollected and unsegregated garbage were also piled and scattered along pathways and sides of niches.
Six households still live inside the cemetery, which has no public toilet.
Vendors are also selling cigarettes in the area.
He said the CHO recommended to the City Council the prohibition to inter bodies at the Burgos Public Cemetery as soon as possible until complete rehabilitation has been done.