Muslim cemetery not contaminating water

The yellowish and oily substance present in water from a spring in sitio Ca Teves I, barangay Guba, Cebu City could not have come from a Muslim cemetery, says city councilor Nestor Archival.

“No, I don’t think so. It’s not even a year yet since the cemetery opened so dili mo-seep dayon ang water. Ang water basta mo-seep sa ground, it will take time. Dili ingon ana ka dali,” he said.

Archival explained that the soil found in the area is yellow so that when heavy rains come, water appears to be yellowish.

“Naa man pod nay protocol nga gihimo; ila man na ipa-cement once ma-bury na ang patay,” Archival added, saying that the development of the cemetery is currently ongoing.

Residents of sitio Ca Teves I expressed fear that the ongoing operations of the said Muslim cemetery in their area have contaminated their source of potable water.

It was also alleged that the cemetery occupies one side of a hill located within the Kotkot-Lusaran watershed which provides potable water to residents of mountain barangays in the northern part of Cebu City.

However, when asked if he has received any complaints from Guba residents, Mayor Tomas Osmeña said the barangay captain has not reported yet to the city government any of the alleged complaints.

The two-hectare Muslim cemetery is the first Visayan Muslim cemetery in Cebu City. It was opened in October of last year.

The city government decided to donate the land to the Muslim community since Muslim residents in Cebu find it expensive to bury their dead relatives in their own cemetery in Zamboanga City.

The cemetery lot formed part of the 29.9-hectare property that the city government acquired in 1997 for P11.9 million.

Three years ago, a deed of donation transferring the two-hectare land to the Office of the Muslim Affairs was signed. — Ghea N. Sinajon, STC MassCom intern/MEEV