ZAMBOANGA CITY — The city governmetn of Zamboanga gave a decent burial to the remains of 27 unclaimed cadavers that have been stored at the morgue for more than a year.
The city decided to give a decent burial as the period of waiting for families to claim lapsed long time ago. The bodies were buried in a mass grave at the City-owned cemetery in barangay Talabaan, Friday, November 25.
Before the burial. the city held a religious cermony which was presided by religious leaders and attended by City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) staff led by Ma. Socoorro Rojas, personnel from the City Health Office and other stakeholders.
Rojas described that most of the unclaimed cadavers were vagrants with mental health issues who were rescued in city streets. Two (2) of the cadavers were senior citizens.
No family member or relative came forward to claim the cadaver and their real identities were not established given their conditions. The cadavers were stocked at the city-contracted morgue.
Burying unclaimed cadavers has been part of the city social services. All the expenses incurred were charged to the city coffers.
Rojas said regardless of their religious affiliation and circumstances of death, the cadavers deserve decent burial..-With report from Zamboanga CIO
