SHOCKING: Thousands of Bodies Found in Cemetery
Authorities said remains were concealed for decades.
Discovery Prompts Investigation Into Overcrowded Manila Grave Site
| Miren Dlamini General Writer |
Authorities commenced an investigation into the Manila North Cemetery after they found more than 3,400 human remains buried over its 54-hectare area.
Western Police District spokesman Remedios Santos said intelligence reports revealed anomalies at the cemetery. "Our investigation revealed that the premises had been the site of the burial of thousands of bodies, some of which had been concealed for decades."
People in nearby towns were shocked by the discovery, which has led to urgent questions about how cemetery staff managed the buried remains in the lot.
Living 2.5 kilometers from the cemetery in the Santa Cruz district, Cielo Reyes arranged her mother's burial there two years ago.
"If you entrust these places with your family, then you find out that thousands of dead people are buried underground, and therefore corpses surround my mother," Reyes said.
She said the funeral home staff had not told her anything about the matter before the burial.
The inquiry carried out by the National Bureau of Investigation has now been extended to cover the adjacent Loyola Memorial Park since it has been reported that human remains might also be buried on its 3.6-hectare site. ■
