Only one PDL family shows up at burial of 60 NBP inmates

A total of 60 cadavers were buried at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) cemetery in Muntinlupa City on Friday morning, but only one family of a deceased inmate showed up for the rites.

Carla said she has not seen her brother for almost 10 years, according to Oscar Oida’s “24 Oras” report on Friday.

The Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) advised her that her brother died last October.

“Wala po kaming alam na nandito po siya, talaga pong hindi namin alam. Itong tatlong taon po pala ay nakakulong na siya dito. Kung hindi pa nagpadala ang BuCor na October 17 siya namatay," Carla said.

"Noong nakita ko sa record dead on arrival na siya sa hospital, paano mo ipaglalaban kung wala ka namang pera papansinin ka ba dito, syempre hindi,” she added.

The cadavers were placed in wooden coffins which were also made by their fellow persons deprived of liberty (PDLs).

The bodies were among the 176 deceased NBP inmates discovered by authorities earlier this month at the Eastern Funeral Homes.

The NBP said the lack of interest of the PDL relatives in their deceased inmates is one of the main reasons that these were stored in a funeral parlor.

“May mga dumadating pong relatives hindi na po talaga kineclaim yung body, kinukuha na lang po yung death certificate. Siguro po kasi kaya wala na pong relatives na pumupunta either tawid dagat or nagiba na ng address but they are advised of the death of their relatives," Dr. Maria Cecilia Villanueva, NBP correctional technical senior superintendent, said.

"Kaya nga tumatagal ng 90 days kasi parang binibigyan namin sila ng pagkakataon na baka may dumating pa na relatives,” she added.

BuCor officer-in-charge Gregorio Catapang Jr. said having regional penal colonies will allow relatives to be closer to the PDLs and pave the way for the inmates' faster reintegration into the society.

“Mas madadalaw sila, pangalawa mas mabilis silang marereintegrate sa society dahil taga doon sila. And then of course, yung pangatlo hindi naman natin gusto mangyari kung namatay sila hindi na sila tawid dagat,” Catapang said.

The BuCor is set to bury at least 60 more deceased inmates next week.—Richa Noriega/LDF, GMA News