Number of visitors in Cebu City cemeteries minimal from October 18 to 24

CEBU, Philippines —  After a week of allowing the public inside cemeteries, the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) assessed that the situation has been generally peaceful with minimal visitors noted from October 18 to October 24.

The police, however, said that pending the decision on whether the cemeteries will be closed on November 1 and 2, as ordered by the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF), they anticipate more influx of visitors this week.

During last weekend, Saturday and Sunday, the police observed a slight increase of the visitors. The previous days, only a few visitors came.

“So far hapsay ra man asta sa mga tawo,” said Police Lieutenant Colonel Wilbert Parilla, deputy director for operations of Cebu City Police Office.

“Kung dili gyud ni modayon og open on Nov. 1 ug 2, so probably modaghan gyud ni siya ( ang visitors before those dates),” he added.

Parilla said some discussion was made on the guidelines when reports came out that some unvaccinated persons weren't allowed entry inside the cemeteries.

It was reported that during the period that the cemeteries will be open to the public, unvaccinated individuals are still allowed entry, except on November 1 and 2.

Aside from the slight queuing of individuals outside the cemeteries, there were no health protocol violators apprehended during the said days.

“But duna may pending nga guidelines ang atoang IATF and DILG (Department of Interior and Local Government) nga i-close ang mentiryo karong 1 and 2, but karon pwede ra bisan katong mga dili vaccinated,” said Parilla.

Parilla said the local government unit (LGU) has sought reconsideration on this directive of closing the cemeteries on Nov. 1 and 2. He added that the police force is ready to implement whatever the final decision would be.

“Hapsay ra man gyud tanan kay naa may sufficient nga mga personnel nga gi-deploy, kauban na sad ang nga force multipliers nato,” he said.

The CCPO conducted another inspection last Friday to also make sure that other guidelines are still being strictly implemented. Among them was the color-coding scheme in which individuals who entered the cemeteries were accounted for according to their allowed time of entry.

“So kung example sa 100, ang ning uli 80 ra, so 80 ra atong pasudlon,” said Parilla. — JMD (FREEMAN)