Manila North Cemetery tombs desecrated

MANILA, Philippines - Most of the apartment-type tombs at the Manila North Cemetery have been desecrated, an official said yesterday.

Raffy Mendez, who was appointed as the cemetery’s new director by Mayor Joseph Estrada, said he unearthed the problem last week.

“There are many tombs on five-year contract that have been opened already even when they’re just on the fourth year of use,” he said, adding that the remains in some of the desecrated tombs are missing.

Mendez said there are about 7,000 apartment-type tombs at the cemetery, arguably the biggest in the country.

He said the rent for the five-year contract is P500, with an option to extend.

Mendez vowed to investigate the matter and resolve it before Nov. 1, when crowds would again fill the cemetery for All Saint’s Day.

“We’re glad that we discovered the problem this early. We have several months to address this matter,” he said.