8 bodies left at Manila funeral parlor identified 

Authorities have identified the eight remaining bodies retrieved from a funeral parlor in Manila, including one belonging to a foreigner. 

According to Mark Salazar’s report on “24 Oras” on Friday, seven of them were former street dwellers. 

One of the bodies was identified as “Ramil,” who is believed to be in his 50s and was found dead along Ermita Avenue last May 11. Meanwhile, “Tata” was said to have been shot dead last June 21. 

Another body was identified as that of a girl aged 13 to 15 years old who was found floating on the waters of South Harbor last July 10. 

Further, the three other bodies belonged to senior citizens who had their last breath while on the streets. 

Of the eight bodies, one of them belonged to a Japanese citizen identified as Akihito Nishizuka - a 49-year-old male who was found dead inside a condominium unit in Malate in August 2024. However, none of his family members claimed his body for a year. 

The details on the identities of the remains were based on the spot report released by the Manila Police District’s Homicide Division. 

Meanwhile, the Manila North Cemetery will give one week for the families to claim the bodies before they bury them, the report said. 

There were three families who went to the cemetery to check if their deceased loved ones were among the seized bodies from Body and Light Funeral Services. According to the report, these families have yet to claim the bodies due to remaining payments to the funeral parlor. 

“Pinapunta ko na po sa Manila City Hall, sabi ko doon na lang mag-blotter. Ni-refer ko na sa City Legal yung mga problema,” said Manila North Cemetery director Daniel Tan. 

(I told them to go to the Manila City Hall for a blotter report. I referred them to the city’s legal office about their problem.) 

GMA Integrated News reached out to Body and Light Funeral Services for a comment. 

For its part, the Department of Social Welfare and Development said that it offers wake and burial assistance to those who are in need. 

“Ang pinapa-submit natin yung funeral contract, of course yung death certificate, valid ID, mayroon ding certification from the hospital, and ini-interview kasi ‘yan ng ating mga social workers,” said DSWD spokesperson Irene Dumlao. 

(They only have to submit to us the funeral contract, of course, the death certificate, valid ID, and certification from the hospital, because our social workers will still have to conduct an interview first.) 

For street dwellers, a barangay certificate would suffice for them to avail of DSWD’s burial assistance. —Vince Angelo Ferreras/LDF, GMA Integrated News