Manila funeral home recently ordered closed allegedly charges families over P100k to release bodies
• A funeral home in Santa Cruz, Manila was shut down after authorities found at least ten decomposing bodies and confirmed illegal operations
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• The establishment allegedly charged families exorbitant fees, sometimes exceeding P100,000, to prevent them from claiming the remains
• Two of the bodies were identified as crime victims from April, whose families could not pay the high fees
• The city government has ordered the filing of criminal charges against the owner, while the search continues to identify the remaining bodies in the custody of the Manila North Cemetery
A funeral home in Santa Cruz, Manila has been shut down by city authorities after a raid uncovered at least ten decomposing bodies and evidence of illegal operations.
Source: UGC
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The raid revealed a shocking scheme where the establishment allegedly charged grieving families exorbitant fees, some as high as P180,000, to claim the remains of their loved ones.
The establishment was ordered closed by the Manila Sanitary Department on Wednesday, July 30, 2025.
The raid was prompted by reports of foul odors emanating from the premises, which had been operating without a valid sanitary permit since 2018.
The discovery of multiple cadavers, some piled in a dilapidated state, has sparked outrage and a formal police investigation.
Two of the deceased have been identified, confirming the fears of their families. One of the bodies was that of Rennan Pornobi, a victim of a crime in Ermita last April.
According to Barangay 659 Chairman Nestor Malabag, the funeral home had initially provided services to Pornobi’s family but then retrieved his remains after the family failed to pay a remaining balance.
Malabag reported that the family was informed they owed over P30,000 on a total bill of P85,000, and that the remains would not be released until the full amount was settled.
The funeral home allegedly cited a broken coffin glass as the reason for the retrieval, but the body was never returned.
The second identified body belonged to Leah Tongol, another crime victim from Malate in April. Her family’s attempts to claim her remains were stalled by the funeral home’s alleged demand for a staggering P150,000.
These excessive fees reportedly made it impossible for the families to give their loved ones a proper burial.
The scandal has shed light on a disturbing pattern of exploitation. A third family, who was also looking for a loved one, told reporters they were being charged P180,000 by the said funeral home.
When they were shown a photo of a decomposed body found inside the facility, they were shocked to learn it was a possible match for their relative—a stark contrast to the funeral home's claim that the body had been properly embalmed.
This discovery suggests that the funeral home may have been holding even more remains.
Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna-Pangan has since ordered the filing of criminal charges against the funeral home's owner, identified as Ferdinand “Dindo” Hernandez, for violating the Code on Sanitation of the Philippines.
The city government is now coordinating with the Manila North Cemetery, where the recovered cadavers are being held.
The cemetery’s administrator, Daniel Tan, has urged any family with a missing loved one who was last handled by the said funeral home to contact their office.
The remains of Pornobi and Tongol have since been reunited with their families for proper burial and cremation, respectively.
As authorities work to identify the remaining eight cadavers, the investigation continues into the reprehensible practices of this now-shuttered establishment.
News, photos, or videos that arouse the interest of netizens would often go viral on social media, due to the attention netizens give them. These viral posts appeal to the emotions of netizens, and in rare cases, this could also happen to ordinary people, making them very relatable stories.
In other news, teachers in Sta. Ana, Manila discovered a broken door and ransacked gadget cabinet upon returning to school after recent storms. Two minors, aged 15 and 17, allegedly led the theft of over 30 DepEd-issued laptops worth nearly ₱1.2 million. Five suspects, including the minors and three adult accomplices, were arrested; only seven laptops were recovered. Authorities suspect an inside job, while the minors will be placed under DSWD custody and robbery charges filed.
Still in other news, seven minor girls assaulted a fellow minor by kicking, punching, and dragging her by the hair before throwing her off a d&ke in General Santos City. A companion of the assailants recorded the incident instead of intervening, and the video quickly went viral on social media. Authorities swiftly identified the suspects, summoning both the minors and their parents for investigation and accountability. The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has taken custody of the minors for proper intervention and counseling.
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