As the entire world will be celebrating all saint's day on November 1, a disturbing widow story is doing the rounds in a distant village in Zamboanga City, Philippines.
It has been three years since Pacita Fernandez became a widow. She, however, felt that her husband is alive because her husband has been buried inside her home in the rural village of Manicahan in this City.
"Since my husband passed away in 2014, we have been together inside our house because his tomb was built inside our house," Fernandez said.
Fernandez said she and her husband bought the lot for only USD 80.00 forty years ago, but eventually, the vacant lot surrounding Fernandez's property was converted to a cemetery three decades later. Years later, their property was surrounded by tombstones. Consequently, Fernandez's husband was hired to be the cemetery's caretaker, where he served for decades.
The widow said that when her husband was alive, he often told her to bury him inside the house when he passes away.
Thus, in 2014, he passed away and eventually his wish to be buried within their home was granted.
Pacita, who is in her 60s, also expressed her wish that one day if she passes away, she too wants to be buried beside her husband, so they can be together even in death.
Moreover, the community seems to be uncomfortable to have a neighbour who is hosting a tomb inside the house.
Manichan village community leader Cresencio Natividad said that he is also disturbed by the situation of the Fernandez family because having a corpse inside a home could be hazardous to health.
Natividad also said that the City also has a standing law that disallows residential houses on cemeteries.
The village chieftain said that he would be meeting the village council to determine what legal action can be taken to address this issue.
