CARETAKERS of the Kabankalan City Public Cemetery were surprised to see an open casket which was taken out from a tomb Monday morning, August 29, 2022.
Lieutenant Colonel Reymond Cruz said the caretakers immediately reported the incident to the police, who later learned that the remains belong to a 67-year-old woman from Barangay Hilamunan.
Cruz said the woman died of natural causes and was interred at the cemetery at about 5 p.m. on Sunday, 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,” he told SunStar Bacolod.
Although it appears that the clothes of the victim were removed, Cruz maintained that it is not conclusive that it was molested as it needs to be examined.
The police official noted that the family had already decided to re-interred the remains of the woman on Monday.
Aside from sexual assault, the operatives of Kabankalan City police are also looking into the possibility that the suspects were looking for valuables buried along with the remains.
Although Cruz said that the family had told the police that there were no valuables inside the casket nor inside the tomb when they interred their loved one.
Investigation is still ongoing as to the identity of the suspect or suspects, who may be facing charges for desecration of the dead.