ILIGAN CITY — In 2017, they risked their lives dodging bullets to save those trapped inside the city by the crossfires.
Today, they braved an unseen enemy to provide a decent burial for the dead and spare the rest of the population from infection. They are the employees of Lanao del Sur Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO).
On March 17, they had their first burial of a Covid-19 patient who died on that same day in Amai Pakpak Medical Center in Marawi City.
Amer Hussein Lucman, head of Lanao del Sur PDRRMO said they have mixed emotions when they were told to bury the dead at Maqbarra Public Provincial Cemetery in Barangay Papandayan Caniogan.
Maqbarra is the same cemetery where more than 200 dead unidentified persons retrieved from the former main battle area during the Marawi siege in 2017.
Lucman’s group was the same group, called as the Suicide Squad, who retrieved the cadavers while the battle was ongoing and buried.
“It was mixed emotions because at first, we were told that the PDRRMO is there only to support, they (Marawi City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office) are supposed to lead but the APMC told us no one wanted to handle the deceased. We are ready anytime because we, in the PDRRMO, are here to help,” Lucman said.
Two immediate family members, with the help of two hospital personnel, helped carry the cadaver from the hospital’s isolation room to the vehicle waiting at the back of the hospital.
“Noong malapit na sa vehicle, doon na kami nag took-over, hinawakan na ng mga tao ko ang cadaver. We tried all our very best to carry the cadaver… kasi alam mo naman ang belief namin sa Islam, dinahandahan namin ang pag-carry (When the cadaver was near the vehicle, we took-over, my colleagues held the cadaver. We tried all our very best to carry the cadaver… because you know our belief in Islam, we carry the cadaver slowly),” Lucman said.
All were wearing protective suits which were later properly disposed of as protocol from the Department of Health (DOH).
Lucman said it was his first to assist an Islam burial and unlike the previous burials he attended, this one was different.
While he and his colleagues tried to make the burial solemn even if it was not the normal one, they just smiled and tried to make a joke while wearing their hazmat suit.
They were scared to get infected.
The battle was different.
“Noong nagdadamit na kami, siyempre virus yan, mas delikado kumpara sa siege, idinadaan nalang namin sa tawa, nagbibiro nalang kami ng mga kasama naming na parang ‘eto, tayo na naman ang nagtatrabaho, walang tutulong’. Hindi na naming masyadong pinu-problema para hindi mawalan ng lakas ang mga members namin (When we were wearing our hazmat suits, of course we are dealing with a virus, more dangerous compared to the siege, we just laughed, we joked with our colleagues and I said: “here we are again, working, no one will help”. We did not take it seriously so that our team members will not get discouraged),” Lucman said.
“Sa siege kasi, naririnig mo ang putok ng baril, pwde kang magtago muna bago dumeretso. Unlike nito, hindi mo nakikita ang kalaban mo. Pwdeng anytime dumapo sa iyo kahit naka-protective suit ka, hindi 100% na hindi kakapit sa iyo (In the siege, you can hear the burst of gunfire and explosions, you can hide before proceeding. Unlike now, you cannot see your enemies. Anytime, you could get infected even if you are in a protective suit because it is not 100% guarantee from getting infected),” he added.
To make sure they are safe when they get back to their office, they disinfected three times. The vehicle used in transporting the cadaver was also disinfected.
They went into quarantine until they were called again to burry another COVID patient on March 20.
At the cemetery, no Islamic rite was done. The family members have already done it in the isolation room. They have to be very quick.
“Sa normal na libing namin, lahat ng pamilya na nasa paligid ay hahawak sa bangkay bago ilagay sa hukay, pasa-pasa yan. Maraming mag-volunteer na maglibing. Hindi ka natatakot. Pero ito, kahit immediate family ay nag-aalangan na humawak sa bangkay. Masakit isipin na ganun ang naging impact ng sakit na ito.”
“Alanganin kaming humawak kasi baka mapunit ang PPEs namin,” Lucman added.
On March 28 burial, the PDRRMO decided not to bring with them the immediate family members of the deceased because the nearest relatives were living in Iligan City.
The Inter-Agency Task Force COVID-19 in Iligan City did not allow the relatives to go out from their house because they were classified as persons under monitoring.
“On our end also, pinagbawal na namin na may family member na sumama kasi walang problema sa amin, we can seriously go on a quarantine. Sa mga family members, hindi natin alam kung may disiplina sa pag-quarantine. So, imbes na mababawasan ang problema, mas lalong lalaki (On our end, we prohibit family members to join the burial. On our part, there is no problem because we can seriously go on quarantine. For the family members of the deceased, we are not sure if they are disciplined to go on quarantine. Instead of reducing the problem, it could worsen the situation),” Lucman said.
“We understand the weight of the problem. We are not sure of the other people because there are many who are still in denial once they got infected with the virus,” he added.
It was hard for Lucman’s group to prohibit family members to bury their loved one but the group preferred it that way than spread the virus. NewsLine
