Authorities arrest 60 cemetery goers

A total of 62 people have been arrested for minor offenses, including eight men who were caught literally dancing on several graves, at the Manila North Cemetery.

By Tuesday afternoon, the police estimated the number of people who have gone to the 54-hectare cemetery at around 1.1 million with more expected to visit the graves of their loved ones on the last day of the four-day break.

Manila Police District (MPD) Station 3 commander, Supt. James Afalla, said that 48 men were arrested after they got drunk inside the cemetery despite a ban on liquor.

They were apprehended by members of the 1st Air Force Wing Reserve of the National Capital Region who were assigned to back up the security personnel at the cemetery.

On the other hand, six people were arrested, including 35-year-old Elmer Borbon of Novaliches, Quezon City, after they were caught with illegal drugs.

Shortly after midnight on Saturday, eight men were picked up by policemen after they started dancing on some graves on Main Avenue.

“They sang loudly as they danced and were … in different states of undress,” Afalla told the Inquirer.

The eight got more attention than they bargained for when they were later charged with alarm and scandal before the city prosecutor’s office.

“They were disrespecting the dead and disturbing other visitors. All Saints’ Day is supposed to be a solemn commemoration by the living of our departed loved ones,” Afalla said.

At the entrance to the cemetery, a sign read in Filipino: “Thieves also come here on All Saints’ Day”—a warning Grace Hesita, 39, failed to heed, much to her dismay.

Hesita had come with her three sons to offer candles and prayers for her departed brother and in-laws. A thief, however, made off with her cell phone.

“I wish these people would make an honest living and respect this place,” she grumbled.

Elsewhere, the paths leading to the cemetery were full of garbage despite the efforts of the Buddhist Tzu Foundation which had volunteered to help in the cleanup.

In just three hours, the group picked up a truckload of trash, said Kalam Chan, a volunteer.

At the nearby Chinese cemetery, things were quieter with the visitors numbering just around 4,000 as of Tuesday afternoon, said MPD Station 11 commander and Task Group “Chinese” leader Supt. Ferdinand Quirante.

“There have been no criminal or medical cases and visitors fully comply with rules and regulations such as the ban on liquor and bladed weapons,” he said.

At the South Cemetery in Makati City, administrator Henry Dy estimated the number of visitors at around 20,000.

Dy said that as of Tuesday afternoon, things had been peaceful with no crimes reported.

Authorities, however, seized several banned items, including a soft drink bottle filled with alcoholic beverage.

“We also found a fan knife hidden in a cap of a teenager last night,” the official said. “When we asked him what it was for, the boy said he was protecting himself from his enemy whom he might encounter inside the cemetery.”

Outside the cemetery, enterprising hawkers lined up their wares which included colorful cups, assorted trinkets and food items.

Among the attention-grabbing stalls there was a life-sized pink casket which a funeral services company had put on display.

“Our company has been doing this for quite some time now and it’s an effective gimmick,” said Ella Remetio of St. Peter’s Life Plan Inc.

The atmosphere was more solemn at the crypt of Sanctuario de San Antonio in Forbes Park and at the American Cemetery in Fort Bonifacio.

Only the murmur of people saying prayers for their dead could be heard inside the area although a man seated by himself could be heard sobbing in front of several tombs.  Elsewhere, notes from the deceased’s kin had been taped to vaults.

“Happy day Mommy. Hope you are doing well. We miss you,” read a note obviously written by a child.

At the American Cemetery, Erlinda Sagsagat, 71, told her grandchildren about her father, Maximo, one of the soldiers who fought in World War II.

“My mother used to come with us here, but about four years ago, she became much weaker,” she said.

At Bagbag Cemetery in Quezon City, thieves had broken into several vaults, stealing the bones and teeth of the deceased.

“To me, it was the lowest form of disrespect for the dead. We found that some tombs had been cracked open and the bones inside were taken,” Ramon Matabang, the cemetery administrator, told the Inquirer.

He said he was planning to recommend that the security agency in charge of the cemetery be replaced because they failed to stop the robberies or catch the thieves.

“I would like an investigation to determine if the security guards were in cahoots with the robbers who sold the remains to medical schools,” Matabang added.

The security guards, meanwhile, told Matabang that they allowed the remains to be taken based on the order given to them by Nida Dimauba, a private burial contractor for the cemetery.

The guards claimed Dimauba told them that she had the registry office’s approval to open the tombs and take out the remains.

This was denied, however, by Matabang who said he would include her in the case he would file against the guards.

Supt. Marcelino Pedrozo, Quezon City Police District Station 4 commander, meanwhile, warned cemetery goers to beware of con artists and people asking for donations for disaster victims.

He noted, however, that no untoward incidents had been reported so far and that fewer bladed weapons had been seized this year.

“The public know it’s not allowed and we are glad they are now used to the idea and do not  bring in sharp objects,” Pedrozo said.

“Relatively peaceful” was also how a police official described the peace and order situation in two cemeteries in Malabon City on All Saints’ Day.

Senior Supt. Ferdinand Ampil, officer in charge of the Malabon City Police, told the Inquirer that as of noontime on Tuesday, there had been no crimes in any of the cemeteries he had visited within his area of jurisdiction.

Ampil had just come from San Bartolome Cemetery on Cayetano Arellano Street before he went to Tugatog Cemetery at around 11 a.m.

He attributed the peaceful situation to his men’s strict enforcement of cemetery regulations.

According to him, a total of 108 policemen were deployed to the cemeteries of San Bartolome, Tugatog and Lourdes to ensure the security of mourners during the season.

He said that this was aside from the personnel sent by city hall to provide assistance to the public. With Jeannette I. Andrade, Jaymee T. Gamil, Miko Morelos, Nancy C. Carvajal and Kristine Felisse Mangunay