Probe on burial protocols for suspected COVID-19 cases

By Felipe V. Celino

 

ROXAS CITY, Capiz – A member of the Sanggunian Panlungsod (SP) here is planning to call for a committee hearing on protocols on the burial of deceased persons suspected to be positive for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

City Councilor Jericho Angel Celino is mulling to conduct the hearing with the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) and Barangay Officials of Barangay Banica here to settle some issues.

The probe was triggered by the recent burial of a suspected COVID-19 patient which led to a verbal tussle between officials of Banica and members of the Roxas City Emergency Response Team (RCERT) under the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) at Banica Public Cemetery.

The residents of Banica were worried because the burial of the deceased from Dayao here was done at 8 pm Sunday.

The village police proceeded to the area where the deceased was buried and saw the RCERT personnel and relatives of the deceased person.

The barangay tanods asked the RCERT personnel for some documents and identification cards to prove that they were members of the CDRRMO.

The RCERT personnel told the tanods that they have permission to bury the deceased, but the tanods wondered why they had to do it in the evening and some of them were not wearing protective gear.

The village officials said that it was not the first time that uncoordinated burials happened in the area.

Celino said that he will also ask barangays Loctugan, Cagay, and Bato, where public cemeteries are also located, to attend the committee hearing that will be held next week.