Capitol to file admin raps against Loot for closing cemeteries

DAANBANTAYAN Mayor Ma. Luisa Loot may face administrative charges for allegedly ordering the closure of at least 25 cemeteries in the town.

Cebu Provincial Legal Officer Marino Martinquilla said yesterday that the Capitol would file the charges against Loot before the Provincial Board.

The move came after the Nov. 21 meeting with Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, officials of the Daanbanytayan Roman Catholic Church, Department of Health in Region 7, Commission on Human Rights in Region 7, Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) and the complainants – parish priest of Sta. Rosa De Lima Parish Fr. John Jonah Orat and some residents of the town.

Martinquilla, however, said that they still had to gather more affidavits of complainants who were affected by the closure order.

The complainants sent the letter of complaint to Garcia’s office prompting the governor to call last Monday’s meeting.

The Cebu Provincial Legal Office sent a copy of the findings of the governor’s meeting to Loot last Tuesday.

Loot allegedly ordered the closure of 25 cemeteries last month for violating the municipal ordinance in maintaining a cemetery in the town.

The findings, however, showed that the closure is “illegal, null and void” in violation of Section 99 (b), in relation to Section 101 (c) of Presidential Decree No. 856 or otherwise known as The Code of Sanitation of the Philippines.

It reiterated that the “power to close cemeteries belongs to the Regional Director of DOH and not to local governments whose actions relative thereto is subject to the approval of the DOH Regional Director.”

Cebu Daily News sought for comment of Mayor Loot but text messages and calls were left unanswered.  Correspondent CArmel Loise Matus