Cemetery caretaker killed; row over tomb assignments eyed

DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Occidental, Philippines — Conflict in tomb assignments is being eyed as the motive in the killing of an 81-year-old caretaker of a public cemetery in Sibulan town, Negros Oriental on Monday.

Isidro Catubig was found dead past 9 a.m. with stab wounds in the body, said Senior Insp. Nelson Lamoco, Sibulan police chief.

He said investigators believed that the perpetrators used Catubig’s own bolo in hacking him in the lower neck, at the back of his head and the right side of his upper body. The bolo was found beside the victim.

Catubig’s family members told the police that the victim had disputes with some residents on where the new tombs should be placed.

Catubig, who had been the cemetery caretaker for decades, was in charge of deciding the cemetery layout.

Lamoco said the police, however, had no lead yet since the family could not pinpoint a suspect.  Catubig was invovled in “many conflicts regarding tomb assignments.” SFM