Marcos signs Philippine Islamic Burial Act
President Marcos has signed a law mandating the proper and immediate burial of Filipino Muslims in accordance with Islamic rites.
Marcos signed the Republic Act No. 12160 or the Philippine Islamic Burial Act on April 11.
Under the new law, the burial of Muslim cadavers shall be performed as soon as possible, with or without a certificate of death, provided that the death is reported by the person who performed the burial rites or by the next of kin of the deceased within 14 days after the date of burial to the local health officer.
In the absence of the authorized health officer or an authorized representative, the death shall be reported to the Office of the Mayor who shall prepare the death certificate and certify the cause of death if there is no forensic interest in the remains.
Should forensic interest exist, the law stated, the family of the deceased must first be informed prior to any examination that may be conducted by law enforcement authorities assigned to the case.
Within thirty days after the death certificate was prepared and certified, it shall be forwarded to the Local Civil Registrar for registration.
In case the remains need to be shipped or released from an institution, the Muslim cadaver shall be released within 24 hours by the hospital, medical clinic, funeral parlor, morgue, custodial and prison facilities, or other similar facilities, or persons who are in actual care or custody of the cadaver.
The law also stated that the remains shall be wrapped with white cloth and placed in an airtight, leak-proof cadaver bag or cadaver wooden box, and shall be zipped or closed with tapes or bandage strips.
Under the new law, "non-payment of hospital bills, medical expenses, professional fees, cost of wrapping, or any other charges shall in no case be made as a reason to withhold the release and shipment of the cadaver."
The concerned party may however execute a promissory note for the unpaid obligation, or any other existing payment scheme acceptable to the other party, it added.
The law warned that any person or entity, who withholds the Muslim cadaver due to non-payment of hospital bills and other charges shall be punished by imprisonment of not less than one month, but not more than six months, or a fine of not less than P50,000, but not more than P100,000 or both, at the discretion of the court.
If the offender is a corporation, partnership, association, agency, or other juridical entity, the penalty shall be imposed on the officer or officers of the corporation, partnership, association, agency, or other juridical entity responsible for the violation.
The act will take effect 15 days after its publication.