Mass Burial Set for Unidentified Victims

A mass burial for the remaining 47 unidentified casualties of the tragic collision between St. Thomas Aquinas and Sulcon Express Siete is set on September 25.

Passenger vessel St. Thomas Aquinas 1 sank last August 16, deep within the vicinity of Lauis Ledge, Talisay City, Cebu after its starboard quarters was hit by cargo vessel Sulcon Express Siete of Philippine Span Asia Carrier.

During the command conference Monday at the Mayor’s conference room, the Carreta Cemetery, a public cemetery of the Archdiocese of Cebu and managed by the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral located located along M.J. Cuenco Avenue, will be the mass burial site for the remaining unidentified casualties which are all in an advanced state of decomposition following the sea tragedy.

Vice Mayor Labella has previously suggested that the unidentified casualties must be placed in a condo or ‘apartment type’ temporary shelter with proper tagging of the case number on each victims for future use, while the long process of identification is still ongoing.

“The city’s authority does not want that the unidentified corpse from the sea mishap will not be buried considering the health, sanitation, practicality and humanitarian reasons,” the Vice Mayor enthuses, adding that the corpse must be in a proper resting place since human body is sacred.

Cosmopolitan Funeral Homes manager Mr. Elbert “Bong” Ebo has reported the casualties already reached to 116 , of which 69 are identified and 47 are unidentified. He added that 68 identified casualties were already shipped to their respective families. Fourteen of which were cremated and 54 were preserved in a coffin and only one female identified as Ma. Elena Quinitio from Agusan del Norte, is still under their custody waiting for proper documentation from her common law husband because her parents reportedly refused to claim the body.

Ebo said that the remaining 47 unidentified casualties including three body parts, which are preserved and still under their custody waiting for the proper identification from the authorities, are scheduled for a mass burial in a decent place with a lifetime design suited for this specific sea tragedy casualties.

“It will take about 6 days to construct the 5 layers with 60 compartments in a 35.75 square meters resting place dedicated specifically for the victims of this sea tragedy,” Ebo said.

Ebo, who is also tasked for the niche’s design and construction, assured that said construction will be completed in time to meet the burial schedule.

Furthermore, when the result of the identification will be available, the victim’s family has the right to get the remains of their loved-ones as the representatives of the Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and Department of Health (DOH) already got the tissues of the casualties and have conducted the buccal swab dna extraction of the victim’s immediate kin which are brought to Camp Crame for identification.

Authorities said the results of the extraction will take three months to one year. (By: Greggy Jiggs P. Senados, PIO Staff)