No mass grave in Cebu’s Pinamungajan town, local execs say

CEBU CITY – A town on Cebu island has dismissed claims that it maintains a mass grave for those who died of COVID-19.

In a statement, officials of Pinamungahan town, west Cebu, said they closely obeyed a directive of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) which states that the only allowable means of burying the remains of a person who tested positive for COVID-19 is only through ground burial.

“Above ground interment is strictly disallowed. In view thereof, the local government of Pinamungajan, Cebu strongly belies all claims that it maintains a mass grave for deaths related to COVID-19,” according to the town’s Public Information Office (PIO) in a post on Facebook last Friday, September 3.

“Our new municipal cemetery is the only site in place for COVID-related deaths. All the dead bodies buried therein have their own separate grave, contrary to claims that it is a mass grave. The local government of Pinamungajan gives high respect and value even to our departed constituents. Thus, it is absolutely false that we merely bury them in a mass grave,” it added.

Some residents of the municipality recently posted photos of what they said was a mass burial site for COVID-19 deaths in Pinamungahan town which has a population of 75,131 based on the 2020 census.

Town officials appealed to the public not to believe any unverified information spread on online sites so as not to be misled.

“During these trying times, it is very important that we only share true, correct and validated information. Let us refrain from spreading false news that will only sow unnecessary confusion and fear to the minds of our fellow Pinamungajanons,” it said.

On December 20, 2020, Mayor Glenn Baricuatro opened the new municipal cemetery which has an area consisting of 20,940 square meter. The area is divided into three different sections: apartment type, ground burial/lawn lots, and mausoleum.

To ensure that the new municipal cemetery will be properly managed and maintained, the town council of Pinamungajan passed an ordinance to provide guidelines for the use, operation and maintenance of the new municipal cemetery.

The new cemetery, however, is still a “work in progress” since the construction of the other portions of the burial place is still ongoing and will continue until its desired design is attained.

“The new municipal cemetery served its purpose more during this time of the COVID-19 pandemic. Unlike the old municipal cemetery already bereft of space, the new municipal cemetery boasts a vast and wide burial ground as one of its sections,” said the town located 59 kilometers northwest of Cebu City.

“At this time of great health crisis, this burial ground became even more of a necessity especially for the burial of those deceased persons who tested positive for COVID-19,” it added.