Marikina offers free cremation of bodies illegally exhumed

MANILA, Philippines — The Marikina City government is offering free cremation of the human remains illegally exhumed at the Barangka Public Cemetery.

Mayor Marcelino Teodoro said yesterday they are locating the families of the dead whose remains were improperly handled by the administrator and five other personnel of the cemetery.

Citing data from the city health office, Teodoro said around 65 human remains were exhumed. But he said the figure could still rise as accounting is still ongoing.

There were reports that 800 sacks of human remains were illegally exhumed from the cemetery.

In a statement, Teodoro said the remains were moved to a “temporary holding facility.”