Marcos signs law on 'proper and immediate' burial of Muslim cadavers | ABS-CBN

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Marcos signs law on 'proper and immediate' burial of Muslim cadavers

Marcos signs law on 'proper and immediate' burial of Muslim cadavers

Pia Gutierrez,

ABS-CBN News

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Filipino Muslims gather for morning prayers celebrating Eid il Fitr to mark the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in Quezon Memorial Circle on April 10, 2024. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has signed into law a measure requiring the proper and immediate burial of Muslim cadavers in accordance with Islamic rites.

Republic Act 12160, or the Philippine Islamic Burial Act, was signed by Marcos on April 11, 2025. 

The law mandates that Muslim cadavers shall be buried as soon as possible in accordance with Islamic rites, with or without a certificate of death. This is in recognition and respect of the right Filipino Muslims to bury their dead in accordance with their religious customs and beliefs, particularly, burying their dead before the next call to prayer.

The measure however requires the person who performed the burial rites or by the next of kin of the deceased to report 14 days after the date of burial to the local health officer who shall prepare the death certificate and certify the cause of death.

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According to the law, Muslim cadavers 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 to be buried in accordance with Islamic rites.

“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 law read.

"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.

Any person or entity who withholds or otherwise causes, directly or indirectly, the withholding of Muslim cadavers in their possession shall be punished by imprisonment of not less than 1 month, but not more than 6 months, or a fine of not less than P50,000.00, but not more than P100,000.00, or both, at the discretion of the court.

However, 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 Department of Health and the National Commission for Muslim Filipinos are mandated to promulgate the necessary rules of the new law.

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