Gegato-Abecia defies closure order?
Residents of Alta Tierra Village in Jaro district were taken aback with the revival of operations of the controversial Gegato-Abecia Funeral Homes (GAFH) which the city government padlocked on March 9, 2004 by virtue of Executive Order No. 8 issued by Iloilo City Mayor Jerry P. Treñas.
In a letter to the City Mayor dated November 24, 2005, Florencio A. Yap of the Alta Tierra Homeowners Association Inc. expressed surprise upon knowing that the Notice of Closure posted on the door of Gegato-Abecia Funeral Homes was removed and that said funeral parlor has gone back into operation.
Yap cited an obituary published in a local daily manifesting that the said funeral parlor is actively operating.
Last Friday evening The News Today actually saw GAFH having public viewing.
In his letter, Yap asked Treñas to 'finally close the Gegato-Abecia Funeral Homes, Inc. in accordance with the Supreme Court final decision on G.R. No. 157118 (The Iloilo City Zoning of Adjustment appeals, et.al. vs. Gegato-Abecia Funeral Homes, Inc.) dated December 8, 2003 and also in accordance with your Executive Order No. 08, Series 2004 ordering the closure of Gegato-Abecia Funeral Homes, Inc...'
'Clearly, this is not allowed under our laws and shows contempt of court (especially of the High Tribunal),' Yap stated.
He added: 'With the Supreme Court's final verdict we were hoping that the issue would finally come to its final rest but we were wrong because the funeral parlor operated surreptitiously or secretly by offering funeral services from the house of the deceased to the burial place using the Gegato-Abecia Building as the base and the latest is open and brazen by having a public viewing. Either way there is violation of our laws.'
Treñas was not reached for comment at press time.
To note, GAFH was ordered closed by the city government in the absence of a business permit for its operation.
GAFH contested the city government's move but the Supreme Court favored the latter.
In its order dated April 22, 2004, the High Tribunal merely noted the manifestation (with prayer for sanctions) filed by GAFH.
The Court's resolution states, 'GR No. 157118 (The Iloilo City Zoning Board of Adjustment and Appeals, et al. vs. Gegato-Abecia Funeral Homes, Inc. etc.)-The urgent manifestation (with prayer for sanctions) dated March 11, 2004 of respondent stating that on March 8, 2004 or during the pendency of respondent's motion for reconsideration, the City Mayor of Iloilo issued Executive Order No. 08 ordering the closure of Gegato-Abecia Funeral Homes Inc. and stopping and stopping any conduct of business, and further manifesting that the said Executive Order is illegal or otherwise null and void ab initio, thus submits that petitioners' acts are befitting of sanctions that may be issue by the Court is NOTED (capitalization supplied).'
The resolution was signed by Enriqueta Esguerra-Vidal, clerk of court of the First Division.